george galloway wins the rochdale by—election with a landslide victory. >> almost 40% of the vote, following a controversial campaign . that's right, george campaign. that's right, george galloway is back in parliament as mp for rochdale after a nine year break. >> and he says sir keir starmer will pay a high price for his stance on gaza to remove the change. >> denier . change. >> denier. you said in the hustings that you want to do extra oil and gas from the north sea. >> he faced backlash within seconds of his victory, but surprisingly , it was not about

surprisingly, it was not about gaza but his apparent climate change denial and here is the stark message for the labour leader. i think keir starmer has woken up this morning to his worst nightmare and that is, as nigel farage warned about sectarian politics in the united kingdom. >> is it sectarian politics is here to stay. people thought the result in 2012, in bradford west , was a complete one off. it wasn't . it was , was a complete one off. it wasn't. it was a warning shot. this is voting along religious lines allied to some extreme hard left characters like the chris williamsons. no this is real. >> also, this morning, real. >> also, this morning , the >> also, this morning, the government's flagship rwanda policy could end up costing more than £600 million to deport 300 refugees, according to a spending watchdog . beautiful spending watchdog. beautiful garden owns eternal flower vase .

garden owns eternal flower vase. >> you know the way so take me there . there. >> won't you make me dizzy .7 >> won't you make me dizzy? >> won't you make me dizzy? >> olly alexander releases his eurovision 2024 entry dizzy with the music video out later this morning. >> and a very happy saint david s day to everyone celebrating in wales. good morning. >> it's a cold day out there for many areas and there's some snow due for some. find out all the details with me a little later on. >> good morning. i'm pip tomson. >> good morning. i'm pip tomson. >> good morning. i'm pip tomson. >> good morning, i'm michael portillo and happy saint david's day to you everywhere. and this is breakfast on gb news. >> a very good morning to you. and a massive good morning to michael portillo here on breakfast for the very first time. >> indeed it is. >> indeed it is. >> and what a day to be on. well well, i think this is a

by—election that's going to be remembered in decades to come. >> i mean, i go back a long way in politics. i remember by elections from 1962, orpington , elections from 1962, orpington, this one is up right up there . this one is up right up there. in 20 years time, people will be on programmes like this and they'll about the they'll be talking about the rochdale because rochdale by—election, because what here, george what has happened here, george galloway to point galloway is quite right to point this out, is that both major parties have been massacred. we're to situation where we're used to a situation where the governing has the governing party has massacred, case, the massacred, but in this case, the conservatives and the labour party have been massacred. liberal democrats too, by the way, and they've been massacred by galloway, a very by george galloway, a very articulate, a very charismatic , articulate, a very charismatic, articulate, a very charismatic, a very effective campaign trainer, representing, in this case not only the cause of gaza and many muslim voters, but also, of course , remember he is also, of course, remember he is also, of course, remember he is a man with a far left history who even in recent times was supporting jeremy corbyn and such a dramatic night. >> does it ever make you not antalgic for the political arena again, or does it actually give you the heebie jeebies? because we still talk about the portillo

moment, don't we? >> yes. but on the other hand, i'm an unusual person i'm quite an unusual person because i two by elections , because i won two by elections, um, in london, i won one when my party was in government, the other one, we were in opposition and actually to win two by elections in london is pretty unusual, particularly if you're the governing party. i mean, we've seen the conservatives lose one by—election after the other. so although my general election figures are not too good, by—election statistics good, my by—election statistics are phenomenal. fact 100% fantastic. >> fantastic. well if you are just waking up this morning, let's bring you bang up to date because george galloway of the workers party of britain has won one of the most divisive and controversial by—election contests in recent history . contests in recent history. >> turnout at the by—election was 39.7, which was higher than expected. this was galloway's message to labour leader sir keir starmer. >> keir starmer this is for gaza

. you have paid and you will pay a high price for the role that you have played in enabling encourage ing and covering . for encourage ing and covering. for the catastrophe presently going on in occupied palestine , in the on in occupied palestine, in the gaza strip . gaza strip. >> well, joining us now is our political editor, christopher hope. political editor, christopher hope . christopher, a very long, hope. christopher, a very long, exciting night for you . in the exciting night for you. in the words of george galloway, has the labour leader, sir keir starmer, this morning woken up to his worst nightmare ? well to his worst nightmare? well morning pip, and morning, michael. >> i mean, it is a complete disaster for the labour party. they of course had their candidate on the ballot paper, didn't they? as our ally. but

the party itself had disowned him over remarks he recorded in making about gaza back in october, which emerged after the nominations had closed for this by—election. labour, of course, coming in fourth behind the tory party, the governing tory party in third and independent david tully , a lifetime, uh season tully, a lifetime, uh season ticket holder of rochdale f.c. concerned about local hospital issues . he came second in issues. he came second in galloway, of course , first with galloway, of course, first with a near 6000 majority. yes, it would be difficult for him because i think the whole the gaza um, uh, control kc the issue with israel and hamas in gazais issue with israel and hamas in gaza is not going away any time soon. and as soon as that comes up in the house of commons, you're going to hear george galloway trying to make make the case of why labour must call for an immediate ceasefire in gaza , an immediate ceasefire in gaza, and more besides, that complete. the labour vote collapsed , such the labour vote collapsed, such as it was by 43. um, it's a disaster for the main parties. as michael portillo says eloquently, this seat, of

course, held by sir tony lloyd until his death earlier this year , since since 2010. so 14 year, since since 2010. so 14 years a labour seat and now it's a workers party of britain. and he's not stopped here. he's saying to us he's going to stand in 59 seats across the country at the upcoming general election i >> -- >> um, christopher michael here. excuse me. just wondering whether given the scale of this disaster, do you think that what happened with the labour candidate was absolutely crucial to the result? what do you have a feeling? i must confess that i do , that galloway would have do, that galloway would have stormed through the middle of this by—election anyway . this by—election anyway. >> i think that is if you look at look at the scale of votes going towards the independence, that looks quite likely . but we that looks quite likely. but we will never know that. but certainly the fact that ali was disowned, there's been no unusually there's no visit coming from any party coming here from any party leader to welcome the new candidate or the new mp for rochdale. i should say. um, no, i think you could well be right.

i think you could well be right. i think you could well be right. i think his force of personality , he targeted the muslim , the way he targeted the muslim vote for for the votes vote here for the for the votes on gaza he gaza his first, on gaza, he made gaza his first, first lines as an mp for rochdale was this is for gaza . rochdale was this is for gaza. i'm not saying this is for rochdale or rochdale issues. he saw this as an issue . the saw this as an issue. the international debate about gaza imprinted on this, on this lancashire town , i should say lancashire town, i should say also, by the way , um, the reform also, by the way, um, the reform party simon danczuk, the former mp for rochdale, labour mp for rochdale, now the candidate for reform, had a disastrous night, coming sixth with the fewer than 2000 votes and some thought he may have done a lot better than that because of his history here. the way he exposed the late lib dem rochdale mp cyril smith with the issues he had with sexual abuse. he he we thought some thought he would do better. but no, i think george galloway has swept all before him and now we look forward to next week when he is introduced as an mp in parliament and what comes next is anyone's guess .

comes next is anyone's guess. >> absolutely . political editor >> absolutely. political editor christopher hope , thanks very christopher hope, thanks very much. that was a really interesting question. you just asked , michael. yes, i would asked, michael. yes, i would expect nothing less but fascinating that he might have romped home anyway. >> well, and galloway is a really charismatic campaigner. i've already said that. i thought the labour candidate , thought the labour candidate, who was disowned , ali was was who was disowned, ali was was not particularly charismatic. it looked as though he got himself into difficulty because he was trying to compete with galloway. he was trying to say things that would capture the radicalism of the left and the radicalism possibly of the of the muslim voter and he tipped himself over the edge. i mean, in a way it was typical that he was so clumsy as to do that. whereas galloway has, you know, just sailed the way through. i just think i mean, was being said think i mean, it was being said before the by—election that many voters realise that the voters wouldn't realise that the labour been labour candidate had been disowned therefore disowned and therefore the labour might do quite labour candidate might do quite well. well, a lot of people will be their words today be eating their words today because very clear is because what is very clear is

that very aware that the voters were very aware of galloway as a campaigner and, and, um, i mean, that's both very bad news this morning for laboun very bad news this morning for labour. but it's also good news in the sense that there is only one galloway so it can't be repeated in every seat in the country as well. >> he he's been saying that >> and he he's been saying that this is going to start a movement . so this is going to start a movement. so is it what we need to tease out? >> i think during the course of this programme is not so much whether it's going to cause a movement as to whether it's going to cause a panic, is it going to cause a panic, is it going to cause a panic in the labour party because he has been galloway has been saying, millions of votes ride on this. and not just the muslim and they're not just the muslim votes. are other people votes. there are other people who by labour's votes. there are other people who on by labour's votes. there are other people who on gaza. by labour's votes. there are other people who on gaza. and labour's it stance on gaza. and he called it the so—called party. in the so—called labour party. in other appalled other words, they're appalled also by stance. you know, it's not left wing now not left wing enough. now i think what a lot of labour mps and will be a and labour candidates will be a bit worried about what's going to happen to them. own to happen to them. my own analysis would be that in england this vote, that they england, this vote, that they might losing nowhere else might be losing has nowhere else to but in scotland it does.

to go. but in scotland it does. in scotland vote to in scotland that vote can go to the scottish national party, which why week's rumpus which is why last week's rumpus in the house of commons was so significant the scottish significant because the scottish national trying national party was trying to show more show itself as being more radical, more in favour of a ceasefire than the labour party. and obviously the scottish national party think that matters seats . and matters for gaining seats. and obviously labour party obviously the labour party thought so too, because it fought tooth and nail to change labour procedure . labour party procedure. >> okay, well we'll dig into that little more very that a little bit more very shortly. want to bring shortly. what i want to bring you all first though, is an exclusive interview that george galloway to us over galloway has given to us over night very shortly after his win. take a listen to this. >> i think the revival of the civic spirit in the town is vital , and unity is important vital, and unity is important for that . uh, but it wasn't me for that. uh, but it wasn't me that dragged rochdale's name in the dirt. it was labour, uh, first in covering up the grooming scandal and secondly, in imploding with the anti

semitic comments made by the labour candidate. we were trending for two full days that week and it wasn't in a good way. and it wasn't about me. so divisive is not really a charge. i think that can be laid against me. i've just won a thumping majority in a in a by—election >> you have it's a, it's a keir starmer is calling for a ceasefire now. beau biden is hopeful it will happen . are you hopeful it will happen. are you and would you lay off him in that instance? it doesn't seem like there's any prospect of you laying off keir starmer or any prospect of them actually, genuinely seeking an end to the war in gaza. >> i've been saying that anyone who believes keir starmer is trying to end the war in gaza, i've got a bridge in london. i could sell them going cheap . it could sell them going cheap. it is a totally unbelievable pretence. if he really did, he would have backed the snp motion in parliament or at least not tried to wreck it, which is what he did. and he tried to wreck it

because what he is asking for is a different thing to what the snp were asking for. and what the snp were asking for was a genuine ceasefire . genuine ceasefire. >> and just finally, it sounds like you've got big plans for this new party of yours. do you hope to replicate this in seats across the country and in other constituencies come the election? >> yes, especially in this region. i don't know what will happen elsewhere in the country, but i have now received deputations from bolton , uh, deputations from bolton, uh, from oldham , from blackburn, from oldham, from blackburn, from oldham, from blackburn, from bury, uh, and from tameside in greater manchester. and that's just the deputations i've received. we've got 59 parliamentary candidates ready to go and we'll stand in therefore three score labour seats. uh, and either defeat them ourselves or cause their defeat and there will be

independence , not workers party, independence, not workers party, but independence that we're ready to support. who will stand up and down the country. and i know of many already in the field who will now be energised by the result here tonight. i think keir starmer has woken up this morning to his worst nightmare . well that was george nightmare. well that was george galloway speaking a very short time ago. >> to our political correspondent katherine forster. let's talk about and analyse all this more now with special adviser, former special adviser charlie rowley and former labour mp denis macshane. good morning to you both. let's recap first of all then to george galloway's warning there, dennis, this is keir starmer's worst night mare. or is it actually just a little dream george is 70 this year. >> he's founded i think, four parties. he's been briefly mp. uh after he left labour in mainstream politics. uh, in by elections. he's a marvellous

speaken elections. he's a marvellous speaker. i've known him for 40 years. uh, he compelled powerful speaker . but years. uh, he compelled powerful speaker. but all his parties crash and burn, and he gets his metaphors wrong. you don't wake up to a nightmare. you have a nightmare by falling asleep . uh nightmare by falling asleep. uh uh. so again, it's early in the morning for him. as i say, he always wears this funny hat. >> dennis. dennis dennis. dennis, this is this is always smooth talk, and you've clearly rehearsed this rehearsed your line this morning. i haven't, i've morning. no, i haven't, i've just got out of bed. let's have some you, please. >> all right. very. >> all right. very. >> what is going to happen in the labour party? what is going to to those people to happen to those people fighting in scotland, for fighting seats in scotland, for example, be pretty example, who will be pretty unnerved? it's not unnerved? by the way, it's not coincidental that galloway is a scot who be pretty unnerved scot who will be pretty unnerved by fact that the labour by the fact that here the labour party been trounced and the party has been trounced and the conservatives and the liberal democrats, course. this democrats, of course. but this is this is bad news for those people hoping to win seats in scotland and in england. it scotland and in england. two it looks of seats could looks like a lot of seats could go, a lot votes could go go, a lot of votes could go begging on scotland . begging on on scotland. >> i mean, that's been a problem

for the labour party now for a number of years. it was certainly looking better because of the implosion of the snp that hasn't gone away. the scandal, the allegations, the incompetence of the current leader in scotland, stephen flynn, in parliament. it's a very good spokesman for the snp, but i thought he blew it last week as he was screeching like a banshee at the speaker. in a very funny way. can i bring you on that, bring you back to the issue? >> galloway has just won an enormous victory. he's humiliated. your party's humiliated. your party's humiliated . my party. he's humiliated. my party. he's humiliated. my party. he's humiliated the liberal democrats. >> let's focus on michael. i'm very happy to focus on it. uh, now , uh, you didn't have a very now, uh, you didn't have a very good general election, but at least you got a good number of votes. only 39. i mean , votes. uh, only 39. i mean, well, of the people turned up . well, of the people turned up. >> well, that's that's better than was expected, dennis. >> well, you could say that, but it's still only 39. uh or i'll put it this way. uh, it's still only 39. uh or i'll put it this way . uh, galloway it's still only 39. uh or i'll put it this way. uh, galloway is good. and rochdale for other reasons, is bad. if they get an

attractive rochdale candidate for labour. uh, in the next, uh , for labour. uh, in the next, uh, month or so, i'm not sure galloway is going to be there in i'm not going to bet on air because rishi did that recently. >> it's not a good idea , but but >> it's not a good idea, but but but i wouldn't mind saying that. i think there's a very good chance galloway will come back. but look, even if you. dennis. yeah. ex—mp if i may so, yeah. ex—mp if i may say so, very so are very, very very much so are very, very relaxed about all this. i just don't of your don't think many of your colleagues be quite colleagues are going to be quite as are. as relaxed as you are. >> well, i'll talk, i'll talk. >> well, i'll talk, i'll talk. >> pretty frightening result. >> pretty frightening result. >> i'll happily, talk to >> i'll happily, happily talk to them. have started them. i already have started a bit. i'm not getting any sense of that . he is, uh, such such an of that. he is, uh, such such an outsider, such a maverick . and outsider, such a maverick. and he always alienates people . you. he always alienates people. you. he runs great campaigns and then loses support very fast. i mean, he has won four other big by elections and was out of the next election. that's called for my understanding in the racing world. yeah. so, uh, i mean, but

that was said , gaza has been that was said, gaza has been completely misread by, by both the government and i'm afraid to to some a large extent by labour this is utterly momentous. we were all talking a couple of days ago , joe biden, we're going days ago, joe biden, we're going to have a deal. and then the israelis yesterday killed all those people as a relief. lorries came into gaza. so they're just not netanyahu is not interested in any deal at all. he wants to continue his policy of okay, well, on that point, let's just speak to you, charlie rowley . charlie rowley. >> when this war in gaza ends, which it will at some point, the movement will just dry up, will it not? george galloway , workers it not? george galloway, workers party of britain, because this is what he stood on. uh it's a brilliant question. >> i'm not sure whether it'll dry up completely , because there dry up completely, because there will always be people who have a different view of what the solution should be in terms of whether it's a two state solution or whether it's, you know, whatever. so i think there

will always be people with different views on on that in the east. but in terms of the middle east. but in terms of the middle east. but in terms of the victory, it's not the election victory, it's not a it's not a dream. it's not a nightmare. it is a it is a reality. and it is a scary one for labour mps and i'm glad dennis has been already talking to labour party colleagues even before 6:20. this morning to get their their view. um, well, a labour party spokesman has been speaking in the last few minutes , uh, apologising for the people of rochdale for not being able to field a candidate. >> and he's saying that george galloway only won because labour did not stand. >> and it is an excruciating and embarrassing night for the labour party. if you ask sir keir starmer, waking up this morning, is a safe labour morning, this is a safe labour seat held the brilliant sir seat held by the brilliant sir tony tragically died. tony lloyd, who tragically died. it a walk—in it should have been a walk—in for the labour party and because of their campaigning, because of their vetting , their their lack of vetting, their lack process, their candidate lack of process, their candidate that uh , espousing clearly that was, uh, espousing clearly anti—semitic views couldn't be ditched or dropped quick enough .

ditched or dropped quick enough. in fact, the labour party stood by this guy for weeks on end . it by this guy for weeks on end. it seemed to me that was front page news. uh, it is a disaster for campaign, and it's something that the labour party should absolutely be worried about. >> and charlie, i think >> pip and charlie, i think between you have raised between you, you have raised a really important issue, which is whether the genie goes back in the in other words, we the bottle in other words, we have i think, a big change have seen, i think, a big change in politics recently . in british politics recently. religion has become more important. a foreign war has become more important. politics have been more divisive. we've been talking about intimidation. we've been talking about whether our democratic processes are being prejudiced by what is going on, whether parliament changed its procedures the other day and the question you asked pit was, you know, will it all p0p pit was, you know, will it all pop back once the war is over? well, firstly, goodness knows whether war will ever be whether the war will ever be regarded being this is regarded as being over. this is a that's already lasted a struggle that's already lasted many decades , but i must say, it many decades, but i must say, it would be my feeling that we won't just put the genie back in the bottle. >> well, i think if you look at

the i think it was one of the leaflets that george galloway put vote put out that said it was a vote for george galloway and palestine, or it was sir keir starmer israel. so divisive starmer israel. so that divisive kind talk on a on an election kind of talk on a on an election leaflet itself showed that this vote and what george was vote and this what george was obviously a vote for obviously seeking was a vote for the people of palestine . so that the people of palestine. so that division, that sort of approach in terms of campaigning is something that's been, uh, uh , something that's been, uh, uh, uh, articulated in this particular by—election. could that be happening, uh, going forward, could that be something that obviously when george galloway is obviously on the backbenches, challenging sir keir and whatever role keir starmer and whatever role he whether he's still the he is, whether he's still the leader or as leader of the opposition or as prime minister when it comes to this particular region, it won't go but everybody will have go away. but everybody will have a view to the a different view as to the outcome of the resolution. might l, outcome of the resolution. might i, pick up with you, i, may i pick up with you, dennis? >> you said a very interesting thing moment said thing a moment ago. you said that got it wrong on that labour has got it wrong on gaza. do you now imagine that sir keir starmer, who actually is doggedly for is pretty doggedly held out for his now have to his position, will now have to change his position on the

ceasefire more like ceasefire to something more like the position? the snp position? >> not particularly on the >> not not particularly on the snp, they are so snp, because they are so violently . and that violently anti—israel. and that would unthinkable. think , would be unthinkable. i think, to party and to to the labour party and to secure himself. let's not forget, um, michael , because you forget, um, michael, because you kindly mentioned i'm out of parliament. you were out of parliament. you were out of parliament during the already by the iraq war, when george again won a giant by—election victory on. we must support, uh , condemn on. we must support, uh, condemn america condemned britain. blair is a mass murderer and so on and so on. and at the general election, he was out . i'm just election, he was out. i'm just not quite convinced . i mean, not quite convinced. i mean, russia has always been held by laboun russia has always been held by labour, whether it's a very good guy, like a friend. my friend tony lloyd, or rather less impressive labour mps like me , impressive labour mps like me, as it were. uh, so , so we'll as it were. uh, so, so we'll we'll we'll we'll we'll see my own inclination having not both of us have watched by elections over the years. it's always shock, horror, excitement and then not, not quite . by monday, then not, not quite. by monday, george will sign into the

commons. uh on tuesday , i think, commons. uh on tuesday, i think, or maybe at wednesday after prime minister's questions. uh, then then he's properly an mp and then he'll just have to go and then he'll just have to go and deliver something in rochdale that's going to be a moment, isn't it? >> george galloway back in the house of commons. >> well, not really , because you >> well, not really, because you sign, keeps coming sign, uh you he keeps coming back and he keeps leaving again . back and he keeps leaving again. as i say, he's 70. he's got to think about retirement. he's a number of wise number of children. uh, and you know, he deserves a good retirement . deserves a good retirement. >> i'm certainly going to call you out for ageism at this point. i don't see what his age. >> oldest person here. >> i'm the oldest person here. i'm older than george. so there we allowed to. we are. i'm allowed to. >> okay , let's have a very quick >> okay, let's have a very quick break from all the political talk, because we have very important weather forecast for you with annie shuttleworth . you with annie shuttleworth. >> hello. good morning and welcome to your latest gb news weather update with me, annie from the met office. some heavy rain will push into southwestern

areas through the of the areas through the rest of the day. also a risk of some day. there's also a risk of some sleet and snow over the hills, but heaviest rain will push but the heaviest rain will push from affecting from the southwest, affecting southwestern england southwestern areas of england and south wales. that's and parts of south wales. that's where there's a weather warning in force throughout today , but in force throughout today, but this rain will into this band of rain will push into more of england more northern areas of england that fall as snow over the that will fall as snow over the high above. around 250m, high ground above. around 250m, mainly so lower levels will mainly so lower levels will mainly just see rain , but we mainly just see rain, but we also see some quite blustery showers following that showers following in behind that across many southern and central areas. to be areas. and it's going to be feeling chilly out there feeling rather chilly out there today, particularly on any coastal areas and in any showers where we've got quite a strong wind through tonight, it's going to staying quite unsettled. to be staying quite unsettled. many will see further rain many areas will see further rain . push into more . that band will push into more northern areas, into parts of scotland where it could bring a further risk of some sleet and snow, some ice on snow, potentially some ice on the roads. it's going to be a frosty start we do see any frosty start where we do see any clear developing clear skies developing to saturday , but much much saturday morning, but much much of the rain will be restricted to eastern areas throughout the morning saturday, morning on saturday, particularly north particularly across north eastern areas of england . that's

eastern areas of england. that's where we could see some further snow the high snow falling over the high ground, further south. should ground, further south. it should be drier through be a little bit drier through the there will the morning, but there will be some showers pushing across some showers pushing in across coastal areas by the afternoon. these bring of some hail these bring a risk of some hail and some heavy downpours, and it will still feel chilly once again it does look again on saturday. it does look again on saturday. it does look a little bit drier and brighter and brighter on sunday though. by and brighter on sunday though. by by more political analysis on the rochdale by—election in just a moment. >> that will be next. this is breakfast on gb news with pip and michael

i >> welcome back to breakfast. good morning. you're watching and listening to us with pip tomson and michael portillo and here is a reminder of our top story. >> controversial left wing firebrand george galloway has won the rochdale by—election. the former labour mp, who was

standing for the workers party of britain, won 12,335 votes, a majority . of 5697. and joining majority. of 5697. and joining us now is political commentator and williams welcome very much to gb news morning. so we have been debating this morning whether this is significant a flash in the pan. is galloway a one off. should labour be worried. what is your analysis. >> well i think you said just before the break michael, that there is only one george galloway i think there galloway and i think there are unique circumstances here. it's an unusual by—election there are particular issues at play . he is particular issues at play. he is a, as you said, a very charismatic mc, a very visible person. and i think i'd be very surprised if this was replicated at the general election. labour have just put out a statement where they said if labour had stood a you know, a serious candidate , because there were candidate, because there were there were really serious issues with the who was with the person who was nominated be the labour nominated to be the labour candidate this by—election candidate at this by—election even had stood

even if labour had stood a proper candidate, they would have this by—election, i have won this by—election, i think. yeah, but be the case? >> oh, you believe that, do you? because i think this. i think this is such an enormous victory for galloway that i really have to if labour party to doubt even if labour party had its resources, the had thrown its resources, the labour its labour party thrown its resources i resources behind a candidate. i mean, saw of their mean, what i saw of their erstwhile candidate, mr ali, he was he was not a patch on galloway. i mean, galloway is a tremendous campaigner, but but you stick by the view do you, that if labour had fought a fully campaign and fully fledged campaign and be behind candidate, would behind its candidate, it would have held their seat? >> i do, and i agree with >> i do, i do, and i agree with you. a bigger majority than you. it's a bigger majority than i expected, and, you i would have expected, and, you know, doubt about it. know, there's no doubt about it. it's a it's an amazing result for galloway. he, for george galloway. i think he, he listeners and he just to tell listeners and viewers was 5697. >> yeah. and you know earlier in the week people were saying, you know hot tip galloway might win the by—election. galloway might win the election, and he hasn't won the by—election. he's absolutely trashed the that is not a narrow victory . not a narrow victory. >> and i don't think anyone could reasonably but

could reasonably claim that. but i do think if labour had a serious candidate who they had backed and who hadn't been embroiled in the controversy that he had been, that they would win, and i think they will win the seat back at the election . general election, i election. general election, i don't. >> but anyway , on this one off >> but anyway, on this one off point, yes, there's only one galloway and there's only this by—election in rochdale. i understand not that understand why not in that sense, but comes in context sense, but it comes in a context where our politics, many people are saying, have been transformed. ed, yes, what's transformed. ed, yes, by what's happened with the attack on israel and the attack on gaza to root out hamas. now that's what makes it not unique . the issues makes it not unique. the issues that resonated in this by—election, we suppose, by the way, tom harwood was saying earlier that the turnout was very high in those wards where there was a big muslim population. the issues and the divisions that have manifest themselves in this by—election they surely do apply more widely , don't they? >> well, i think the truth is we quite possibly we don't know. and that's that is a sort of

really interesting question going into the general election . going into the general election. that will be the test case we haven't seen yet a massive sample size. we have one constituency here where it's been a big issue. if in in constituencies where there are significant muslim populations, this result is or this feeling is replicated. yeah, that will be it'll be very interesting to see whether this becomes a big issue at the general election, because the obvious thing to say is, well, at a general election, what will people think about? they'll think the cost of they'll think about the cost of living. think the living. they'll think about the nhs, you nhs, they'll think about, you know, those issues on know, all of those issues on which typically make decisions. >> just pause for a moment. i just want to bring viewers and listeners the interview that george galloway gave to us exclusively earlier. he exclusively a little earlier. he was our political was speaking to our political correspondent, katherine forster. i think the revival of the civic spirit in the town is vital and unity is important for that. >> uh , but it wasn't me that >> uh, but it wasn't me that dragged rochdale's name in the dirt. it was labour, uh, first

in covering up the grooming scandal and secondly, in employing with anti semitic comments made by the labour candidate. we were trending for two full days that week and it wasn't in a good way. and it wasn't in a good way. and it wasn't about me so divisive is not really a charge. i think that can be laid against me. i've just won a thumping majority in a in a by—election >> you have it's a, it's a keir starmer is calling for a ceasefire now. beau biden is hopeful it will happen . are you hopeful it will happen. are you and would you lay off him in that instance ? it doesn't seem that instance? it doesn't seem like there's any prospect of you laying off keir starmer or any prospect of them actually, genuinely seeking an end to the war in gaza. >> i've been saying that anyone who believes keir starmer is trying to end the war in gaza, i've a bridge in london. i've got a bridge in london. i could sell them going cheap. it is a totally unbelievable

pretence. if he really did, he would have backed the snp motion in parliament or at least not tried to wreck it, which is what he did. and he tried to wreck it because what he is asking for is a different thing to what the snp were asking for and what the snp were asking for and what the snp were asking for and what the snp were asking for was a genuine ceasefire. >> and just finally , it sounds >> and just finally, it sounds like you've got big plans for this new party of yours. do you hope to replicate this in seats across the country and in other constituencies come the election? >> yes, especially in this region. i don't know what will happen elsewhere in the country , happen elsewhere in the country, but i have now received deputations from bolton , uh, deputations from bolton, uh, from oldham , uh, from blackburn, from oldham, uh, from blackburn, from oldham, uh, from blackburn, from bury, uh, and from tameside in greater manchester. and that's just the deputations i've received. we've got 59 parliamentary candidates ready to go and we'll stand in

therefore three score labour seats and either defeat them ourselves or cause their defeat and there will be independence , and there will be independence, not workers party, but independence that we're ready to support. who will stand up and down the country. and i know of many already in the field who will now be energised by the result here tonight. i think keir starmer has woken up this morning to his worst nightmare . morning to his worst nightmare. >> hmm. well, what do we think about that? george galloway speaking a little earlier to our political correspondent katherine forster. obviously very, very confident and full of it, as always. yeah and michael said he thinks he will still mmp said he thinks he will still romp home at a general election win . win. >> i said yes, okay, win. >> i said yes, okay, win. >> okay. maybe buy a smaller, smaller majority then what he didn't do though is campaign on local issues here. and surely local issues here. and surely local issues here. and surely local issues will play a massive part in a general election. >> i think they will. and i also

think in a general election people will be thinking much more about who they want to form the next government. and that's why think labour will win why i think labour will win whenever there is a general election this year, because people will be voting or more people will be voting or more people will be about people will be thinking about who they want to be, the who do they want to be, the prime minister? who do they want to form the government? and ultimately going to ultimately, that's not going to be his work be george galloway and his work as think labour as party. so i do think labour will come back for this. think will come back for this. i think it's, know, it's not a great it's, you know, it's not a great night for them, but i don't think it's a disaster and i don't think painting it don't think anyone painting it as a disaster for the as a, as a disaster for the labour party is correct. >> well, do you think your confidence be shared within confidence will be shared within the mean, the labour party? i mean, there's thing as there's such a thing as objective fact another thing objective fact and another thing which and parties which is panic and parties are very given to panic. do you think there's a keir starmer will come under pressure now to change his position on the ceasefire question. >> absolutely. i mean, if >> oh, absolutely. i mean, if you're if you're somebody who has pressuring him to take has been pressuring him to take a stronger stance on what's happening in in israel—palestine, this is an

opportunity for you to double down on keir starmer . so yes, he down on keir starmer. so yes, he will come under pressure . um, will come under pressure. um, obviously when labour there was a new poll out this morning, labour are 26 points ahead . uh, labour are 26 points ahead. uh, the last thing that keir starmer or the leadership want to do is appear to be complacent . and so appear to be complacent. and so absolutely they will be saying , absolutely they will be saying, you know, this isn't a great night. they've put out a statement this morning saying they deeply regret the fact that they deeply regret the fact that they couldn't stand a proper candidate. um, but, you know, i think overall it's a question of labour just, think overall it's a question of labourjust, uh , funnily think overall it's a question of labour just, uh , funnily enough, labour just, uh, funnily enough, i think they've been quite lucky that they didn't have a candidate, because if they did have a candidate and they've been yeah, they've been beaten by galloway, that would be even w0 i'se. woi'se. >> worse. >> well, that's absolutely true. but that is counterfactual analysis. actually analysis. that isn't actually what the way, on what happened, by the way, on the issues the on the local issues question, say quite a lot question, he did say quite a lot about local issues. and he's pledged in his victory speech that going to go after that he's now going to go after the councillors. he's the labour councillors. he's going and drive them out

going to try and drive them out of in the local of office in the local elections. and he's campaigning on the survival of the rochdale football club, which is which is an issue on which i'm not. well pleased. >> but he did say when he was campaigning, this is a referendum on gaza. the local issues were very much secondary and at a time when everything is it is so febrile at the moment, it is so febrile at the moment, it is so divided. george galloway becoming an mp, he's just going to make this even worse, is it? isn't it , than it worse, is it? isn't it, than it already is. >> he is a very divisive figure and he has always thrived on exploiting division in that respect. >> i mean, already the campaign against anti—semitism have come out this morning saying that they are extremely concerned. following his victory . following his victory. >> yeah. and of course, this gives him a huge platform. he's going to have a maiden speech to make in the house of commons. he's to have that he's going to have that platform. will be in platform. he will be more in demand on television and radio. and exactly what and that's exactly what he wanted. george wanted. you know, does george galloway people galloway care about the people of rochdale? >> well, i'm not sure. steady

on. um, did you see how on. but, um, did you see how smoothly he told katherine forster the divisive forster? i am not the divisive candidate ? candidate? >> well, of course he did. of course he did. the reality though. could though. excuse me, could be somewhat different . well, andy somewhat different. well, andy williams, political commentator. thank andy, for thank you very much, andy, for the moment . thank you very much, andy, for the moment. but, uh, what we are going to next i think , going to do next is, i think, bnng going to do next is, i think, bring you the latest headlines at 638. it's rather a busy morning. you are with breakfast on gb views with pip tomson and michael portillo here is a reminder of our top stories. >> this is for gaza . >> this is for gaza. >> this is for gaza. >> yeah. george got away. wins the rochdale by—election in a landslide victory with almost 40% of the vote. following a controversial campaign, to put it mildly , to remove safetonet . it mildly, to remove safetonet. >> you said in the hustings that you wanted to extract oil and gas from the north sea.

>> george galloway faced backlash within seconds of his victory. surprisingly not about gaza, but his apparent climate change denial. gaza, but his apparent climate change denial . and here is change denial. and here is george galloway stark message for the labour leader i think keir starmer has woken up this morning to his worst nightmare, and that is, as nigel farage warned about sectarian politics in the united kingdom. >> is it sectarian politics is here to stay. people all thought the result in 2012, in bradford west was a complete one off. it wasn't . it was west was a complete one off. it wasn't. it was a warning shot. this is voting along religious lines allied to some extreme hard left characters like the chris williamson's is no. this is real. >> also, this morning, the government's flagship rwanda policy could end up costing more than £600 million to deport 300 refugees, according to a spending watchdog. good for

gardens eternal flowers . gardens eternal flowers. >> did you know the way? so take me there . me there. >> won't you make me dizzy ? >> won't you make me dizzy? >> won't you make me dizzy? >> olly alexander releases his eurovision 2024 entry dizzy with the music video coming out later this morning, and a very happy saint david's day to everyone celebrating in wales. >> and of course across the country . country. >> uh claire pearsall. and nigel nelson will be taking us through what's leading the news today this is breakfast on gb news with pip and michael

i >> welcome back. you're watching and listening to breakfast with

pip tomson and michael portillo . pip tomson and michael portillo. and we are wishing all of you a happy saint david's day today, not just in wales. >> people celebrate saint david's day of high and low. i have no doubt now joining us to go through what's making the news is gb news senior political correspondent nigel nelson, and former conservative adviser claire pearsall . nigel, normally claire pearsall. nigel, normally we sort of pick our way through piles of newspapers, but i have a feeling, yes, we're still on the by—election, which of course is not in the newspapers. so a series of people have been through the studio already giving their views as to the broad significance or lack of significance of the by—election. what is your own analysis on that had there been a that point that had there been a proper labour candidate standing , this would been hugely , this would have been hugely significant ? significant? >> isn't there wasn't . it >> isn't as there wasn't. it isn't. i think that it was. the whole thing was a weird by—election, and we've ended up with a pretty weird result at the end of it. there will be the end of it. um, there will be labour mps who will be looking at their own muslim voters,

especially, you know , in seats especially, you know, in seats where the muslim votes are really important. um, and wondering if they, they may end up losing votes, but as a kind of national significance now. >> so it's not keir starmer's worst nightmare as far as you're. >> well, no, i can't i can't see why it is. i mean, i know that george galloway has threatened to put up sort of, um, 59 candidates around the place. um, first of all, let's see who those and whether those candidates are and whether he actually manages to get them. we haven't before the we haven't got long before the election actually arrange election to actually arrange that. that the that that. so i think that the that what it shows is that gaza is an important issue and an important issue to a large number of voters as it when it comes to the general election, we'll be back to cost of living. we'll be back to cost of living. we'll be back to cost of living. we'll be back to the nhs and things like that. so i don't see it as being some major kind of sea change in british politics. >> nigel, i'm sure that you've always been very wise on this issue . but other political issue. but other political commentators during the course of last week were saying , do you

of last week were saying, do you know many voters in rochdale have not even realised that the labour candidate has been disowned as far, they're concerned, business as concerned, it's business as usual. his name will on usual. his name will appear on the ballot as the labour the ballot paper as the labour candidate, his vote going candidate, so his vote is going to and then i remember to hold up. and then i remember on programme, on sunday on my programme, a commentator came on and said as though was a sort of, you though it was a sort of, you know, completely original thought. i think george galloway might win the by—election. now we have moved some distance from those views which were being held by perfectly respectable analysts. so it's all very well for you to say, oh, well, you know, george galloway is one where there wasn't a labour candidate. many political commentators, being commentators, if they're being honest are honest with themselves, are astonished this. astonished by this. >> i i think we >> yeah. i mean, i think we began to see towards the end of, um, uh, the well, the middle of the middle of this week, really, that george galloway might win and well might and might well, well might win the of the book is the study of the book is actually win. >> he received just under 40% of the yeah the vote. yeah >> well, i mean, he did very well, there's no question with a with of majority like

with a kind of majority like that. really and that. that's really good. and i don't believe, for instance, the people rochdale didn't know people of rochdale didn't know that candidate was no that the labour candidate was no longer labour longer really the labour candidate. and the other candidate. eight and the other interesting thing it's the interesting thing is it's the independent dave tully, who came second, and he was campaigning on very local issues . so people on very local issues. so people who couldn't actually vote for a candidate from one of the main parties then turn to him . parties then turn to him. >> yeah. david tully secured more than 6600. well, exactly . more than 6600. well, exactly. >> and came second. i mean, that's significant . so, um, what that's significant. so, um, what it shows is that if people didn't have a vote for, for one of the mainstream candidates, and certainly they didn't in the case of labour, which you'd have expected to win this by—election then moved on to the local then they moved on to the local candidate who, who actually campaigned on local issues. it was his maternity was about his maternity ward in his local hospital. it was about his local hospital. it was about his hospice needing more support. it was about speeding drivers very much local issues. okay just just one moment, by the way, to say that the by—election is a fantastic

british institution. >> i mean, it gives the opportunity for people in a particular locality to do what nobody expects them to do , and nobody expects them to do, and really to put the cat amongst the pigeons, doesn't it? it is an extraordinary institution and because by elections are so disruptive, um , you'd think that disruptive, um, you'd think that parties might take more care about causing by elections. now, this one, of course, was caused by the sad death of tony lloyd . by the sad death of tony lloyd. but so many by elections are caused by the. well, frankly , caused by the. well, frankly, the poor behaviour of the member of parliament. yeah, that's right. who's left the house? and you think of all the things you think that of all the things that parties would to do that parties would want to do would be to avoid by elections? >> see what would be to avoid by elections? >> can see what would be to avoid by elections? >> can see see what would be to avoid by elections? >> can see the see what would be to avoid by elections? >> can see the breakdown nhat would be to avoid by elections? >> can see the breakdown of at you can see the breakdown of discipline in political parties at the moment. the fact we're having elections, we having so many by elections, we might a load more might even have a load more before actually get to the before we actually get to the general election. i mean, at the moment, politics moment, british politics in a pretty dire state. um, so we've seen that that sort of the farce of the vote over gaza last week . of the vote over gaza last week. i thought that prime minister's

questions was absolutely appalling. the behaviour of both keir starmer and rishi sunak and the speaker, who didn't dare to intervene, and the speaker who who didn't intervene. but the whole thing there is , you're whole thing there is, you're suddenly polarising it exactly where we don't need to be. we with this idea that the tories are all islamophobes , which are all islamophobes, which they're not, and labour is anti—semitic, which it's not. but that's the kind of kind of language that both leaders were using to try and give that impression on claire. >> let's let's bring you in. indeed. uh, was it a night of just complete weird weirdness ? just complete weird weirdness? as nigel suggests, i mean, we all love a by—election >> uh, those of us in the political sphere always look at these by elections with with the slight sense of trepidation or amusement, depending on which side you're on. and i think it's important that this was a particularly different kind of by—election. sad. death of tony lloyd. the complete implosion of

the labour party and choosing a candidate who wasn't suitable for many reasons. um but i think nigel is right. actually, the more interesting story out of all of this is the independent candidate, david tully , in candidate, david tully, in second place. and i think that local issues have a massive importance to people , especially importance to people, especially in by elections . and it's sort in by elections. and it's sort of they weren't interested in the conservative candidate. they weren't interested in a reform candidate or or any of the other sort of smaller parties. did you did you see me? did good. >> did you see me trying to look sceptically? >> yes, yes. yeah, i absolutely did. and it made me laugh because because first of all, i can't see anything amusing about this by—election for anyone other galloway. other than george galloway. >> , don't tell me the >> i mean, don't tell me the conservative party going to conservative party is going to be amused by. no, no, no, absolutely not. >> you look on it as if >> i mean, you look on it as if it is. it's its own little it is. it's in its own little bubble. a by—election which bubble. it's a by—election which is removed from what is happening. it on one happening. it is on one particular issue which has galvanised likes of george galvanised the likes of george galloway, which was the issue. he going that the issue

he is going to that is the issue of gaza , israel. of gaza, israel. >> although dave tully's, >> so although dave tully's, although dave tully's performance is very remarkable, thatis performance is very remarkable, that is not actually the readout from this , but he is going to from this, but he is going to grow that kind of support. >> if anybody thinks that george galloway is still going to be in post, come for a general election, i think that we will not see that. i really don't . i not see that. i really don't. i think that the people of rochdale, i think, are getting a really rough deal out of this. i feel incredibly sorry for the majority of them. it was a relatively good turnout . relatively good turnout. >> but can we ask you the genie back in the bottle question ? if back in the bottle question? if you understand me , our politics you understand me, our politics are in a different place at the moment. do you think that we're going to get this genie back into the bottle ? into the bottle? >> ah, do you see? >> ah, do you see? >> now that is a really tricky one, because it doesn't feel like it. yes it is incredibly volatile. it is toxic. and these issues are getting completely out of hand. neither party,

neither major party, either the conservatives or labour have got a handle on how they want to present themselves. yes on what they believe is the issue. they need to be fighting on. and this is the way in which boil over, and this is the way in which the by—election is not amusing for any of the main political parties. >> no , because they are very >> no, because they are very worried that the election of george galloway is another chapter in the division of british politics. >> and they're not wrong , and >> and they're not wrong, and they have brought this upon themselves. they have allowed this person to come through. they have. if you look at labour and their candidates, they chose and their candidates, they chose a candidate who had a history of making inappropriate remarks as a councillor , he was well known a councillor, he was well known to them. none of this should have come as any surprise . if have come as any surprise. if you do your due diligence properly , you would have picked properly, you would have picked that up. i think they were hoping that the name came attached to the labour badge. >> well, he was a former adviser , wasn't he? >> as as he was , he was advising

>> as as he was, he was advising corbyn at one point. so he had ties in with corbyn. um completely. then changed that round to support the new leader as most people would do with a with a political party, you support the leader that you have , but his comments are well known. he is sat on a local council. it is not as if his comments have come out of thin air. they have been recorded and they should have been big, big flags being flown at the adoption of this candidate. >> what we're not going to see, are we, as we do normally with by elections, is translating it into the national picture. >> no, no. >> no, no. >> absolutely not. this was a general election. what would happen? >> well, not in not in the >> well, not not in not in the sense the votes. but but but sense of the votes. but but but let's nigel, this. what let's try nigel, on this. what is reaction to sort of is your reaction to the sort of farage point that, you farage point that that, you know, politics has changed, know, the politics has changed, that this is very unfortunate and that this by—election is another of that change. another symptom of that change. >> we actually have >> i think we actually have that clip nigel farage, gb clip with with nigel farage, gb news presenter. let's yeah, let's hear what he said about

that. george is enormously powerful, very charismatic and even though i disagree with him profoundly on things , on a 1 to profoundly on things, on a 1 to 1 basis, i, i struggle not to like him, but but i'm afraid he is now using that power , that is now using that power, that ability, that personality in a way that will divide our country horrendously . horrendously. >> what do you think, nigel? >> what do you think, nigel? >> well, i mean, we come back to what the actual significance of it. this is not the first time george galloway has claimed that this by—election is a landmark event. he's claimed other by elections as being elections he's won as being a landmark event . elections he's won as being a landmark event. i mean, yes, at the moment we've got a polarised politics at and two political parties were not handling it terribly well. but there's also a kind of, um , uh, hysteria a kind of, um, uh, hysteria going on for instance, taking things like mp safety now people talk about how this is the, the unsafest time for mps. talk about how this is the, the unsafest time for mps . there's unsafest time for mps. there's ever been i mean, you will

remember the, the ira days, but in those days that mps were targeted by professionals who knew exactly how to kill them, they lived with it every single day. >> i came into parliament because my predecessor was murdered by the ira. >> exactly, exactly. so so, you know, have been more know, there have been more dangerous times that that we've lived through. so at the moment, gazais lived through. so at the moment, gaza is certainly a, um, dividing communities. um, emotions are running high. but when you get to the general election, i think we will be thinking about more important. well, not more important, but more domestic issues rather, emotions will be running even higher than they are now. well, i mean , one would hope that by i mean, one would hope that by the time the election comes, we will have a ceasefire in gaza. i mean, they i know there are only sort of tiptoe ing towards it, but just a chance that but there is just a chance that something would something like that would happen. members happen. but members of parliament, this was demonstrated in in demonstrated last week in the in the house of commons. >> there are many members of parliament who that they're

parliament who feel that they're going be intimidated going to be intimidated because of have voted, or of the way they have voted, or in to make them vote in order to make them vote differently future . and i differently in the future. and i do think that is quite likely to be a feature of general be a feature of the general election. and how will it affect their campaigning the their campaigning on the doorsteps? uh, i mean, all doorsteps? well uh, i mean, all all candidates want to be on the doorstep. all candidates want to hold public meetings. all candidates to be up close candidates want to be up close with the public that with the public and all of that is, i'm afraid , somewhat, uh, is, i'm afraid, somewhat, uh, cast in doubt, isn't it? >> yeah. i mean, certainly i think that clearly there's intimidation going on, but also you just have to look at this vote. 30% of the voters in rochdale are muslim . um, a rochdale are muslim. um, a labour mp sitting on a on a majority which relies on the muslim vote, will be worried as well. and nigel nelson and clare claire pearsall, thank you very much indeed . much indeed. >> i think we're going to be pursuing this subject, uh, further as we go on. yes, but it is now time to see what's going on in the whether there is another story, it is the weather. annie shuttleworth has

it . it. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hello. good morning and welcome to your latest gb news weather update with me, annie from the met office. some heavy rain will push into southwestern areas through the rest of the day. there's also a risk of some sleet and snow over the hills, but heaviest will push but the heaviest rain will push from affecting from the southwest, affecting southwestern england southwestern areas of england and south wales. that's and parts of south wales. that's where there's a weather warning in throughout today , this in force throughout today, this band will push into more band of rain will push into more northern areas of england that will fall snow the high will fall as snow over the high ground above. around 250m, mainly lower levels will mainly so lower levels will mainly so lower levels will mainly just see rain , but we mainly just see rain, but we also see some quite blustery showers following in behind that across southern and central across many southern and central areas. it's going be areas. and it's going to be feeling chilly out there feeling rather chilly out there today, on any today, particularly on any coastal areas and in any showers where we've got quite a strong wind through tonight, it's going to quite unsettled. to be staying quite unsettled. many will see further rain many areas will see further rain . band push into more

. that band will push into more northern areas, into parts of scotland where we could bring a further risk of sleet and further risk of some sleet and snow, some ice on snow, potentially some ice on the roads. it's going to be a frosty start where we do see any clear skies developing to saturday morning, but much of the rain be restricted to the rain will be restricted to eastern throughout the eastern areas throughout the morning saturday, morning on saturday, particularly across north eastern of england . that's eastern areas of england. that's where could see some further where we could see some further snow high snow falling over the high ground. further south. it should be a little drier through be a little bit drier through the morning, but there will be some across some showers pushing in across coastal areas by the afternoon. these bring a of hail these bring a risk of some hail and some downpours , and it and some heavy downpours, and it will feel chilly once will still feel chilly once again it does look again on saturday. it does look again on saturday. it does look a little bit drier and brighter and brighter on sunday, though. by and brighter on sunday, though. by looks like things are heating up boxt boilers sponsors of weather on .

gb news. >> way .

>> way. >> way. >> good morning. it is 7:00 on friday. the 1st of march. today >> this is for gaza . >> this is for gaza. >> this is for gaza. >> george galloway is back in the house of commons with a resounding win in the rochdale by—election after a campaign in which the gaza war was a running theme . that's right, george theme. that's right, george galloway is back in parliament after nine year break as mp for rochdale. >> and he says labour leader sir keir starmer will have a high price to pay for his stance on gaza to remove a climate change denier . denier. >> you said in the house things that you wanted to extract oil and gas from the north sea. >> george galloway won by nearly 6000 more votes than any other candidate , but he faced backlash candidate, but he faced backlash within seconds of his victory and here is his stark message

for the labour leader. i think keir starmer has woken up this morning to his worst nightmare and that and that is, as nigel farage warned about sectarian politics in the united kingdom. >> is it sectarian politics is here to stay. people thought the result in 2012, in bradford west was a complete one off. it wasn't . it was was a complete one off. it wasn't. it was a warning shot. this is voting along religious lines allied to some extreme hard left characters like the chris williamson's no. this is real. >> also, this morning, real. >> also, this morning , the >> also, this morning, the government's flagship rwanda policy could end up costing more than £600 million to deport. policy could end up costing more than £600 million to deport . 300 than £600 million to deport. 300 refugees. that's according to a spending watchdog . beautiful spending watchdog. beautiful garden . it's all flowers , you garden. it's all flowers, you know the way. >> so take me there . won't you

>> so take me there. won't you make me dizzy ? make me dizzy? >> olly alexander releases his eurovision 2024 entry dizzy with the music video due to be out later this morning . later this morning. >> and a very happy saint david's day to everyone celebrating in wales and beyond . celebrating in wales and beyond. >> well in the sport this morning, on the eve of the new formula one season, christian horner saga rumbles on and on. paul pogba and his four year doping ban and the world indoor athletics championships gets underway today . underway today. >> good morning. it's a cold day out there for many areas and there's some snow due for some find out all the details with me a little later on. >> good morning. i'm pip tomson. >> good morning. i'm pip tomson. >> good morning. i'm pip tomson. >> good morning. i'm michael portillo and this is breakfast on gb news . on gb news. >> and we were talking about our

eurovision entry being dizzy. well i think a lot of us are a bit dizzy this morning after this by—election result. plenty of views coming in from you as well. thank you so much michael. what have we got there? >> uh, david says this is a sad day for politics when the electorate has voted solely on the ground of what's going on in gaza, rather than the needs of the rochdale community. >> and, tina, good morning . why >> and, tina, good morning. why are these politicians deluded that speaking about a ceasefire in another part of the world is really going to make them stop fighting? this should not be a problem for by elections . yes. problem for by elections. yes. >> and as i sartorial point here, adrian says, george galloway is a good orator. he puts it across really well . all puts it across really well. all he needs to hoover the dust off his hat, though . i thought you'd his hat, though. i thought you'd be more interested in listening to what he was saying, rather than the dust on his hat . than the dust on his hat. >> we've also had lots of you welcoming michael portillo onto breakfast. oh, that's very sweet , which is lovely. and also, i'm so sorry i didn't get this. this

gentleman's name, but somebody suggested because you had a little cough a lot, a few minutes ago. someone said, get michael a glass of grapefruit juice. it's an old radio station. trick sorts the cough out and the vocal cords . out and the vocal cords. >> i will try that. i'm back tomorrow, so i'll try it for tomorrow. >> okay, so let's bring you the breaking news overnight this morning. and that is that. george galloway of the workers party of britain has won one of the most divisive and controversial by—election contests in recent history. >> um, turnout at the by—election was 39.7, which was higher than expected. this was galloway's message to labour leader sir keir starmer. >> keir starmer this is for gaza . you have paid and you will pay a high price for the role that you have played in enabling, encouraging and covering . for

encouraging and covering. for the catastrophe presently going on in occupied palestine , in the on in occupied palestine, in the gaza strip . gaza strip. >> that was george galloway, a little earlier. joining us now is our political editor, christopher hope, who has been following the by—election in rochdale . good morning to you, rochdale. good morning to you, christopher . it was quite extra christopher. it was quite extra ordinary. others are calling it weird. what's your analysis, chris? >> yeah , it is a weird one, >> yeah, it is a weird one, isn't it? >> when you see both those two main parties knock down the tory party in third place. labour's well notional candidate. the candidate, of course , was candidate, of course, was disowned by the by the labour party because, of course, the remarks that emerge after all the ballot papers were printed as our ally came fourth. i was struck by i mean george galloway is an orator. he said, uh, in other remarks overnight that

keir starmer and rishi sunak are two cheeks of the same backside side, and they both got violently spanked tonight here in rochdale . i think that is in rochdale. i think that is pretty much true . the only worse pretty much true. the only worse result really was for the reform party. simon danczuk former labour mp for rochdale, who came a distant sixth on fewer than 2000 votes. um, there , claiming 2000 votes. um, there, claiming that it's been they were unfairly treated by vote uh dunng unfairly treated by vote uh during the campaign and the rest. but it's definitely an unusual , uh, rest. but it's definitely an unusual, uh, um , a by—election unusual, uh, um, a by—election here. michael might like this bit of history that, uh , george bit of history that, uh, george galloway is claiming he is now the same as churchill in that he has stood represented as an mp for four different towns and cities . so he sees himself with cities. so he sees himself with a place in history, whether churchill would like to be compared with galloway is a different question. michael >> um, christopher, what was the balance in your view , in the balance in your view, in the campaigning between local issues and gaza ? in in his acceptance and gaza? in in his acceptance speech ? uh, there were speech? uh, there were references to local issues. quite a few references his. but

does that misrepresent the campaign? was the campaign fundamentally about gaza ? fundamentally about gaza? >> well, is made that way because george galloway focussed on the muslim community here of who are very exercised about the gaza issue. but it was an odd, odd campaign , the sense that the odd campaign, the sense that the person who came second, david tully, an independent, a season ticket holder at rochdale afc under threat at the moment as many small football clubs are. he campaigned a local a new he campaigned on a local a new maternity wing for. for services here in his local hospital . so here in his local hospital. so while there was a hyper local candidate who came a second, there was a kind of internationalist candidate who came first. and as our viewers are writing in this morning saying , why on earth are they saying, why on earth are they saying, why on earth are they saying this? this is for gaza, as george galloway did. his first line is mp for rochdale was saying that he should say this for rochdale. i want to this is for rochdale. i want to help people rochdale with help the people of rochdale with their george galloway their issues. george galloway did to issues did make reference to the issues of football club and of the local football club and the he did the

the rest when he did become the mp, won won the the by—election. but i think it's all the other stuff. the national picture, the stuff. the national picture, the stuff we worry about with the taxation labour this taxation and labour and this that aside as, as that was all pushed aside as, as these independent candidates went after each other, i should say. by the way, that george galloway is now saying that his workers party of britain will stand 59 candidates at the election, probably focusing on other areas with large muslim communities , which could prove a communities, which could prove a bit a headache for keir bit of a headache for keir starmer . starmer. >> may i just ask you, tom harwood , who was watching the harwood, who was watching the ballot boxes arrive at the count doing political analysis ? he doing his political analysis? he thought the way towards in thought that the way towards in rochdale, which had a particularly strong representation of muslim voters, had turned out strongly, is tom right on that? do you think ? right on that? do you think? >> yes, i mean, i he was he was a count along with my colleague katherine forster i think that probably is anecdotally, we were told that was right. and that's why may have this rather why you may have this rather higher turnout, 39% than we thought. often these by

elections be a lot less, elections can be a lot less, particularly so near to a general election likely this november. would expect so november. i would expect so i think yes, that is that makes sense, i think, because in a normal of things, the normal run of things, the turnout is much lower than that. okay >> political editor christopher hope , thank you very much for hope, thank you very much for your thoughts this morning. so if are just waking up, if you are just waking up, george galloway is an mp again, and this is what he had to say about it . and this is what he had to say about it. bring it you. >> i think the revival of the civic spirit in the town is vital and unity is important for that. vital and unity is important for that . uh, but vital and unity is important for that. uh, but it vital and unity is important for that . uh, but it wasn't vital and unity is important for that. uh, but it wasn't me that dragged ross easdale's name in the dirt . it dragged ross easdale's name in the dirt. it was labour. uh, first in covering up the grooming scandal, and secondly in imploding with anti—semitic comments made by the labour candidate. we were trending for two full days that week, and it

wasn't in a good way. and it wasn't in a good way. and it wasn't about me. so divisive is not really a charge. i think that can be laid against me . that can be laid against me. i've just won a thumping majority in a in a by—election. >> you have. it's a it's a keir starmer is calling for a ceasefire now beau biden is hopeful it will happen. are you and would you lay off him in that instance? it doesn't seem like there's any prospect of you laying off keir starmer or any prospect of them actually genuinely seeking an end to the war gaza . war in gaza. >> i've been saying that anyone who believes keir starmer is trying to end the war in gaza, i've got a bridge in london i could sell them going cheap. it is a totally unbelievable pretence. if he really did , he pretence. if he really did, he would have backed the snp motion in parliament, or at least not tried to wreck it, which is what he did. and he tried to wreck it because what he is asking for is a different thing to what the

snp were asking for and what the snp were asking for and what the snp were asking for and what the snp were asking for was a genuine ceasefire and just finally, it sounds like you've got big plans for this new party of yours . of yours. >> do you hope to replicate this in seats across the country and in seats across the country and in other constituent his coming election? >> yes, especially in this region. i don't know what will happen elsewhere in the country , happen elsewhere in the country, but i have now received deputations from bolton , uh, deputations from bolton, uh, from oldham , uh, from blackburn , from oldham, uh, from blackburn, from oldham, uh, from blackburn, from bury, uh , and from tameside from bury, uh, and from tameside in greater manchester. and that's just the deputy that i've received. we've got 59 parliamentary candidates ready to go and we'll stand in therefore three score labour seats and either defeat them ourselves or cause their defeat and there will be independence , and there will be independence, not workers party, but independence that we're ready to support. who will stand up and

down the country . and i know of down the country. and i know of many already in the field who will now be energised by the result here tonight. i think keir starmer has woken up this morning to his worst nightmare . morning to his worst nightmare. >> kc well , we're morning to his worst nightmare. >> kc well, we're going to ask that question. joining us now is former special adviser charlie rowley here in the studio and labour commentator james matthewson. a very good morning to you both. james what about george galloway's comment there that this is he is keir starmer's worst nightmare . to starmer's worst nightmare. to um, i can't speak for keir starmer but he's my worst nightmare. >> purely just in the interest of following politics. and we're going to have to listen to george galloway now in the house of commons. and there's going to be many laborious lectures and lots speeches where he talks lots of speeches where he talks about himself, because ultimately what it's ultimately this is what it's about. for george galloway, it's all it's the george all about him. it's the george galloway show, you know, don't be confused with him talking about gaza , with him talking about gaza, with him talking about gaza, with him talking about about about anything. this is about revenge against labour

revenge against the labour party. a long time party. it's been a long time coming for george galloway. even just way talking there, just the way he's talking there, he he's going sweep he thinks he's going to sweep the away in the the labour party away in the next election . this a next general election. this is a very unique circumstances very unique set of circumstances where the labour party has basically vacated the seat. and because of a huge mess, opened up there on their part. and george galloway has been the opportunist , george galloway has been the opportunist, has seized the opportunity, as he does . and opportunity, as he does. and he's in, you know, and fair play to doing that. but this to him for doing that. but this is no bigger of him talking is no bigger sign of him talking about tectonic shifting. about tectonic plates shifting. i think anybody in the i don't think anybody in the labour party would concerned. labour party would be concerned. other than the fact that they're going to george going to have to see george galloway in the house galloway every week in the house of commons. >> you are not, i >> um, james, you are not, i think , a labour party candidate think, a labour party candidate in hoping to win one of in scotland hoping to win one of the maybe 25 or 30 seats that labour could win back from the snp. but if you were such a person, might you not feel rather concerned ? i mean, even rather concerned? i mean, even in those remarks that george galloway he pointed galloway made now, he pointed out that it's perfectly clear that the snp position is different from the labour position. on the question of the

ceasefire. yeah, this was all rehearsed in the chaos in the house commons last week and house of commons last week and isn't galloway pointing out that these distinctions matter amongst muslim voters and possibly other voters on the left of british politics? >> yeah, absolutely . and i don't >> yeah, absolutely. and i don't think, you know, a lot of people don't think about this in this scope until it is presented to them in such a way. and the dangeris them in such a way. and the danger is obviously people like george platform george galloway with a platform to be able to say that it matters and to drive wedge matters and to drive that wedge because has have because george galloway has have said he's intent on the destruction of the labour party because grievance, because the personal grievance, he's grind. he he's got an axe to grind. so he will just try and stop labour candidates from winning. it doesn't whether doesn't matter to him whether the snp win their seats, but the tories win those seats. i mean, you've a tory government. tories win those seats. i mean, you'veabout tory government. tories win those seats. i mean, you've about rochdaleernment. tories win those seats. i mean, you've about rochdale and ent. tories win those seats. i mean, you've about rochdale and what think about rochdale and what it's under austerity , it's suffered under austerity, and not a word has come out of that man's mouth about that. what talked about his what he's talked about in his first of victory first few words of victory speech keir starmer. he's speech is keir starmer. he's obsessed. a personal obsessed. it's a personal grievance. but i think up here in you're absolutely

in scotland you're absolutely right. like where right. places like that where that can be driven, that wedge issue can be driven, it it could stop the it could it could stop the labour party winning seats. labour party from winning seats. you but is you know spike. but this is nothing new the labour party. nothing new in the labour party. the party knows the hard the labour party knows the hard left always rather, you left has always rather, you know, rather than take the fight to our opposition would rather have a scrap internally and rather, you know, stop labour candidates from winning. that's always been a point of heartbreak for us on on the centre left of politics. actually, george galloway in his seven minute speech, refer seven minute speech, did refer to of rochdale. to the plight of rochdale. >> said once been one >> he said it had once been one of great cities in england of the great cities in england and that it been reduced to and that it had been reduced to sort of penury, but shall we bnngin sort of penury, but shall we bring in charlie rowley? um, i put it to you that there's not much, um, consolation here for any of the main parties, including the conservative party. i think jacob rees—mogg has already talked about his worries about what this indicates about the divisions in british politics. nigel farage who, of course, is not a conservative but a gp. news presenter as is jacob rees—mogg,

has also talked about this being a symptom of the division of politics. isn't that what many people will be worried about this morning? >> i think that's right. and i think that's why you see the emergence of people like george galloway. that's why you the galloway. that's why you see the emergence of reform. i think when there division, um, when there is division, um, uh, within , when it within the country, when it comes to political ideals , g comes to political ideals, g people to the extremes. people do go to the extremes. when uh, people the need to when uh, people feel the need to and particularly in by elections . but i do think when it comes to the general election and the choice is clear between, you know, sunak sir keir know, rishi sunak or sir keir starmer, that is ultimately going to be the ones occupying number will be number 10. the choice will be very clear. think, uh, george very clear. i think, uh, george galloway holding to galloway won't be holding on to that even though it is an that seat, even though it is an absolutely cataclysmic disaster that seat, even though it is an absthe:ely cataclysmic disaster that seat, even though it is an absthe labouraclysmic disaster that seat, even though it is an absthe labour party|ic disaster that seat, even though it is an absthe labour party today. ster for the labour party today. waking up, if you're sir keir starmer losing should be starmer losing what should be a rock solid labour stronghold seat, it was an embarrassing and excruciating performance by the labour party from its selection , labour party from its selection, from its standing by the candidate to then not being able to ditch him for anti—semitism,

anti—semitic comments, to then having to have him on the ballot paper then losing george paper and then losing to george galloway. as james was saying, there is highly, highly embarrassing . but you're right. embarrassing. but you're right. uh, when it comes to division in politics, people do look to the extremes, particularly in by elections, in in, elections, particularly in in, in, uh, we're not midterms in terms of election cycle, but just midterms in terms of government performance. but when it comes to the general election, choice will be election, the choice will be very the public very clear and the public will have choice. have a clear choice. >> really think that >> do you really think that because seem so because people seem so dissatisfied parties at dissatisfied with the parties at westminster that want that westminster, that they want that alternative and people like , alternative and people like, well, you are playing down george galloway's victory here, but he won by nearly 6000 votes. and as michael said earlier last week, people were saying, oh, he might win. you know , he's a bit might win. you know, he's a bit of an outsider. >> more votes than the labour conservative and lib dems put together. well, they're quite i you know, i never thought i'd say this, but i agree with george galloway. >> it was a thumping victory

against what is a labour, >> it was a thumping victory um, the labour strong hold. so, um, the labour party should worried this party should be worried this morning. just as the conservative you know , conservative party, you know, i'm have a few jitters i'm sure does have a few jitters over reform if you vote over reform because if you vote for reform, the tories will say that's when you up with that's when you end up with laboun that's when you end up with labour. obviously, if you that's when you end up with labcup, obviously, if you that's when you end up with labcup, well, bviously, if you that's when you end up with labcup, well, ifiously, if you that's when you end up with labcup, well, if you.y, if you that's when you end up with labcup, well, if you vote you that's when you end up with labcup, well, if you vote for end up, well, if you vote for george galloway, you you can lose a labour, uh, potential of a labour government if that's what you, you want. so the extremes and the fringe parties that are picking up support should be a worry to, to political pundits and parties. but when it comes to . so that's but when it comes to. so that's why both i think will have to frame the choice of the debate very clearly when it comes to the election. the general election. >> you? james oh, do you mind >> do you? james oh, do you mind if i just throw it to james? yes um, james, can i put a sort of very broad to you? one one very broad point to you? one one possible explanation for why george this george galloway has won this by—election is it could that george galloway has won this by—ele are1 is it could that george galloway has won this by—ele are fed it could that george galloway has won this by—ele are fed up ould that george galloway has won this by—ele are fed up with that people are fed up with politicians say, politicians who say, effectively, . they have effectively, nothing. they have no ideas. they have no convictions, they have no consistency. and suddenly they come across a man, galloway , who

come across a man, galloway, who has a view on something. okay, it's gaza. it's not mainstream british politics, but could that be part of the explanation that people are yearning to vote for someone who's got something to say ? say? >> yeah, i think you're absolutely right, michael. i mean, i think it does come to, down you know, there are at times of peril and distress which make no mistake, you know, everybody dodi i know people who are not normally politically aware or active are talking about gaza. they're talking about gaza. they're talking about it so, so whatever you think, wherever you sit on the debate, it's hard cut through and it's, you know, it's stuck with a lot of people and it's moved a lot of people. so when you face issues like that, when people appear with strong answers solutions , you answers and clear solutions, you know, the, um, desire to get behind them and support that is strong. and i think that's the case with george galloway . case with george galloway. that's how he's made his political career to date. um, i do think , however, going do think, however, going forward, you know, to see the traction stick would be very difficult because the nature and

believe you me, i've seen this a million times myself coming from the of the labour party , in the left of the labour party, in the left of the labour party, in the that i've come the traditions that i've come from trade union movement. from the trade union movement. um, it will itself and, you um, it will eat itself and, you know, there able to know, there won't be able to agree, there be able to agree, there won't be able to organise. this always organise. and this always happens again with happens time and time again with the independence party. happens time and time again with theyou independence party. happens time and time again with theyou remember3endence party. happens time and time again with theyou remember them nce party. happens time and time again with theyou remember them when|rty. happens time and time again with theyou remember them when they do you remember them when they popped do you remember them when they popped ? um, for a little bit. popped up? um, for a little bit. so, know, they were trying so, you know, they were trying to organise all comes to organise and it all comes down to the egos the left, down to the egos on the left, the disputes tiny the disputes about tiny minuscule differences. who's a trotskyite as opposed to a stalinist and all the rest of it, know, so it's nothing it, you know, so it's nothing new. think it will. it new. but i think it will. it will struggle move forward will struggle to move forward and , uh, in the general and to stick, uh, in the general election, i think, to be honest, whilst say there's whilst i would say there's a silver lining in this because the labour party will have the chance give george galloway chance to give george galloway a thumping defeat future as thumping defeat in the future as well . well. >> okay, fantastic. um we're very grateful to james matthewson and charlie rowley when you mentioned their no ideas, no consistency from politicians today , do you think politicians today, do you think that's very different to how it was when you were?

>> well , was when you were? >> well, indeed, indeed. >> well, indeed, indeed. >> well, indeed, indeed. >> well , a part >> well, indeed, indeed. >> well, a part of the time when i was in government, the part when i was under margaret thatcher, you could never have accused the leader of having no thoughts, ideas, no ideology thoughts, no ideas, no ideology and consistency . thoughts, no ideas, no ideology and consistency. um, at thoughts, no ideas, no ideology and consistency . um, at other and no consistency. um, at other penods and no consistency. um, at other periods of conservative government, you could have made that strongly. okay that case more strongly. okay >> should i ask you which penods >> should i ask you which periods those were? >> portillo, uh, the >> michael portillo, uh, the ones that followed . ones that followed. >> okay. we need to bring you a weather forecast . it's almost weather forecast. it's almost it's almost the weekend. it is saint david's day is the sun going to be shining? here's annie shuttleworth . annie shuttleworth. >> hello. good morning and welcome to your latest gb news weather update with me, annie, from the met office. some heavy rain will push into southwestern areas through the rest of the day. there's a risk of some day. there's also a risk of some sleet over the hills, sleet and snow over the hills, but heaviest rain will push but the heaviest rain will push from the southwest, affecting southwestern england southwestern areas of england and wales . that's and parts of south wales. that's where weather warning and parts of south wales. that's waorce weather warning and parts of south wales. that's waorce throughout |ther warning and parts of south wales. that's waorce throughout today. arning and parts of south wales. that's waorce throughout today. thisg in force throughout today. this band rain will push into more

band of rain will push into more northern areas england that northern areas of england that will as snow over the high will fall as snow over the high ground around mainly ground above around 250m, mainly so lower levels will mainly just see rain. but we also see some quite blustery showers following in that across many in behind that across many southern central areas and southern and central areas and it's to be feeling rather it's going to be feeling rather chilly out there today, particularly on any coastal areas and in showers where areas and in any showers where we've got quite a strong wind through tonight, going to through tonight, it's going to be unsettled. many be staying quite unsettled. many areas see further rain . areas will see further rain. that band push into more that band will push into more northern areas, into parts of scotland we could bring scotland where we could bring a further risk of some sleet and snow, ice on snow, potentially some ice on the roads. it's going to be a frostier start where we do see any clear skies developing to saturday morning , but much much saturday morning, but much much of will be restricted of the rain will be restricted to eastern areas throughout the morning on saturday, particularly across north eastern england. that's eastern areas of england. that's where could see some further where we could see some further snow the high snow falling over the high ground, further south. it should be little drier through be a little bit drier through the morning, but there will be some showers pushing across some showers pushing in across coastal afternoon. coastal areas by the afternoon. these risk some hail these bring a risk of some hail and heavy downpours, and it

and some heavy downpours, and it will chilly once will still feel chilly once again on saturday. it does look again on saturday. it does look a little bit drier and bright and brighter on sunday though. by and brighter on sunday though. by by annie. >> thank you. well, still to come, more political analysis on the by—election. plus the rochdale by—election. plus there's plenty of other news we're bringing you sport we're bringing you the sport very and we know that very shortly and we know that the red bull team principal, christian horner, well, he's been mired in a lot of controversy and he has been forced to deny some more allegations today , paul coyte allegations today, paul coyte will be giving us those details very shortly. this is breakfast on gb news. good morning with pip tomson and michael portillo

watching and listening to breakfast with pip tomson and michael portillo . michael portillo. >> well, a reminder of our top story. controversial left wing firebrand george galloway has

won the rochdale by—election emphatically. the former labour mp, who was standing for the workers party of britain, won 12,335 votes, a majority of 5697. he got as many votes, or rather more than the conservative liberal democrat and former labour candidates together, and joining us now is political commentator andy williams. welcome back into the studio. hi forgive me. i'm getting slightly frustrated because a lot of people have come through the studio this morning and the line more or less is nothing to see here. you know, move on. nothing to see here. and i think, you know, the people of rochdale for a start, might be quite frustrated by that. have delivered that. they have delivered a momentous result and surely they are saying something and surely it has some consequences. so for everyone to say, oh no , you everyone to say, oh no, you know, don't worry, we just go back to business as usual. once. george galloway has made his maiden speech, i think it's possibly bit disrespectful to possibly a bit disrespectful to a the electorate that

a part of the electorate that spoke last night. >> i wouldn't go far as >> well, i wouldn't go as far as to say business as usual. nothing to see here. but what i would is that george would say is that george galloway a unique you galloway is a unique figure. you know, he's won three by elections three different elections in three different constituencies the last 14, constituencies in the last 14, 15 he's very charismatic. constituencies in the last 14, 15 has he's very charismatic. constituencies in the last 14, 15 has a he's very charismatic. constituencies in the last 14, 15 has a very very charismatic. constituencies in the last 14, 15 has a very particular;matic. constituencies in the last 14, 15 has a very particular point. he has a very particular point of view and a very high profile . of view and a very high profile. so i think if you had stood any other effectively , i know he has other effectively, i know he has his workers party, but effectively independent candidate in this constituency standing on the same issue. i don't think they would have converted the support in the way that he did. i think this is a vote for george galloway. >> all right. so let's come to national politics. you or do national politics. do you or do you think that this will you not think that this will lead one or another to sir lead one way or another to sir keir starmer having a different phraseology on the question of the ceasefire >> he's certainly going to come under pressure to excuse me, uh, rear me, clearly articulate his view . i think rear me, clearly articulate his view. i think he's going to have to double down on, uh, on what labour's position is on gaza. and it's been a really, to be

honest, it's been a it's been a muddled position. it's had to evolve and i think this is the sort of issue where keir starmer, uh , you know, his starmer, uh, you know, his inexperience as a politician really shows momentum. >> the left wing pressure group, they've reacted this morning saying that, uh, for labour the results are self—inflicted . and results are self—inflicted. and to avoid any more damaging repeats, starmer should end the factional abuse of labour's selection processes and stand up for an immediate permanent ceasefire in gaza. >> well , i ceasefire in gaza. >> well, i mean, if you want to talk about factionalism, then momentum, know what they're talking about. i wouldn't listen to a single thing they have to say. they say. having said that, they obviously particular obviously represent a particular view left the labour view on the left of the labour party about the israel palestine, uh, war, war. and there's no doubt that , look, there's no doubt that, look, what this definitely exposes, that labour is very divided on this issue. lots of the, uh, national political discussion debate over recent years has been about how divided the

conservative party is. but we need to remember the labour party is very divided, too. and i think i'd be extraordinary . be i think i'd be extraordinary. be surprised if labour don't win the general election later this year by a massive majority. but as as they go into as soon as they go into government, division within government, the division within labour going to really labour is going to be really exposed. and i think that's going to a challenging thing going to be a challenging thing for starmer manage. and for keir starmer to manage. and this i think is this result actually, i think is a of, that a microcosm of, of that division. >> one of the reasons he's had keir starmer, what you call a muddled position on this, is that thinks going to be that he thinks he's going to be prime and he doesn't prime minister and he doesn't think the prime minister of think that the prime minister of britain a position that britain can have a position that can interpreted anyone in britain can have a position that can waynterpreted anyone in britain can have a position that can waynte beingi anyone in britain can have a position that can waynte being anti—israeli. n any way as being anti—israeli. now, think what you're saying now, i think what you're saying is quite significant. you think he's to have to change the he's going to have to change the words that he uses about a ceasefire, and this could mean that the next prime minister of britain has has a strikingly new position on israel. that's why this by—election could be significant. >> i think so, because he's going to have to manage his party. and, you know, the reality of keir starmer is we

forget he's a very inexpensive politician. he's only been in parliament for nine years. he's only been leader of the labour party for four years. he's not somebody who has great or deep expertise or even views, frankly, on foreign policy. um, and i think that is going to be and i think that is going to be a very, very challenging thing for him to manage, especially. and this is why it's really important for the party important for the labour party that just win the that they don't just win the general but win big, general election, but win big, because you'll because if they don't, you'll have a you'll have the left of the labour party and people who are affiliated with groups like momentum, are capable of momentum, who are capable of driving labour's position on issues just like this. >> so could could sir keir starmer's tactic be the closer it gets to an election ? the it gets to an election? the least you want to say in a way, the least controversial things you say, the better. that's keir starmer st bart's getting much more controversial than than ceasefire in gaza at the moment. >> absolutely. that's his whole strategy. know, keir strategy. you know, if keir starmer can avoid putting forward a position on anything remotely controversial , he remotely controversial, he absolutely will. there's that famous remember this,

famous you'll remember this, michael. that famous, uh michael. there's that famous, uh , from the run up to the , quote from the run up to the 97 election, which is that tony blair proceeded election blair proceeded to the election as was carrying a as if he was carrying a priceless ming glass along a marble floor or something like that. and that's exactly what keir starmer is trying to do, right? he's 26 points ahead in the polls. keep it simple. no controversy. this is the sort of thing he needs. like a hole in the head. >> and by way , the contrast, >> and by the way, the contrast, the that starmer will take the way that starmer will take government probably at the end of this year by comparison with the way that blair took the way that tony blair took government 1997. you know, government in 1997. you know, the country was yearning for tony blair. don't think it's tony blair. i don't think it's yearning for sir keir starmer. and i think that's another thing that's tells that's by—election tells us. >> williams, political >> andy williams, political commentator. >> andy williams, political comm> andy williams, political comm

racing, which is slipping out of his hands on the eve of the new f1 season. we'll talk about that

>> good morning. welcome back. you are watching and listening to breakfast with pip and michael. thank you for all your thoughts this morning. lots of lovely ones coming in for you. michael oh, shall i read? i'll read them out without. don't want to embarrass you. i might lask linzer jacqueline says lask linzerjacqueline says a breath fresh air to have breath of fresh air to have michael portillo breakfast michael portillo on breakfast tv. what a pleasure. tv. deborah what a pleasure. michael portillo , and how nice michael portillo, and how nice do you look ? do you look? >> oh, enough, enough, enough. thank you very much indeed. though is a great pleasure to though it is a great pleasure to be breakfast show for be on the breakfast show for the first time, want to thank first time, and i want to thank pip holding hand pip for holding my hand metaphorically, metaphorically speaking , the through it. >> i just said i said, if you >> ijust said i said, if you talk too much or you go wrong, i'll elbow you. yes i'll just elbow you. yes >> this this rib is now >> and this this rib is now quite badly bruised. actually

uh, so other gb views news, tina says, why are these politicians deluded that speaking about a ceasefire in another part of the world is really going to make them stop fighting? this should not be a problem for by elections. it is quite a thought actually, that, you know, people get excited about motion in get so excited about a motion in the of commons, which is the house of commons, which is not save a single human life. >> yeah, yeah. >> yeah, yeah. >> and some, some people call that and self—delusion. >> happened last >> exactly what happened last week. was a debacle , wasn't week. it was a debacle, wasn't it? so embarrassing. and during that time in the house of commons, lindsay hoyle last week, how many more died week, how many more people died dunng week, how many more people died during fighting? a dread, during the fighting? a dread, dread , uh, let's bring dread to think, uh, let's bring you some sport to complete. change of gear paul coyte is here. >> good pun. even though i didn't realise you made it there because we're going start because we're going to start with one. oh so with formula one. oh so christian horner now? yeah, we're talking about christian horner. weren't we on the show yesterday? so christian horner principal of red bull, uh, about three weeks ago there were accusations of inappropriate behaviour with a person that was

in the employ of red bull. so a huge huha was made about it. and then there was a would there be an inquisition or whatever or a chat or whatever we want to call it? uh, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing . surprise, any wrongdoing. surprise, surprise by red bull. and then the season starts. this weekend. now, 24 hours after he was cleared and they said, there's nothing. there's nothing to see here. uh, a series of alleged messages has been sent out from an anonymous account that's gone to the media. it's gone to a lot of people in the f1 media and hundreds of people that were involved in f1, and these are supposed messages that he had sent and exchanges between him and this person to some extent , and this person to some extent, this is the same old, same old story. >> isn't it? because there was an inquiry which was held by red bull in eternaly? yes. and some people connected with the sport are saying, look, this was not independent and it was not transparent. so even before the outpouring of new information,

new allegations, there were people that were saying that the way the inquiry had been handled was completely wrong. yeah. >> and look at it, it >> and if you look at it, it just look at it from the outside. and i think, now, look, let's, look the let's, let's look at the evidence here. this is, it's almost some spy thriller. almost like some spy thriller. you'd there's you'd think, well, there's someone here wants him out. someone here that wants him out. there's no question about that. because within a day then someone is released. all these messages. so there's and there was also talk about a power struggle as well at red bull where they're they want christian horner where they're they want christian homer to be running the race inside or whether someone else that doesn't agree with now we're never with him. now now we're never going get the moment to going to get at the moment to the bottom of this. said the bottom of this. i said yesterday, there's going to be more because more that will break, because i just believe that will be. just can't believe that will be. there's evidence you're not there's no evidence you're not going to be able to see anything. we're going anything. we're not going to talk we talk about it anymore. but we know that this inquiry has gone on, which is so bizarre because if to do it if they wanted to do it internally, could have done internally, they could have done it internally. have it internally. they could have done quietly. nobody would done it quietly. nobody would have slipped so have known it slipped out. so there's there's to

there's obvious there's going to be revelations, be more relevant revelations, revelations seen revelations which we've seen today. he's in bahrain. >> the first race of >> yes. for the first race of the season. yeah. inevitably he's to be asked. of he's going to be asked. of course you think course he questions do you think he's anything else? he's going to say anything else? >> i don't think he i think he's going continue to deny going to continue to deny it because what else can he say. but i, i imagine that this is only the start of it. and then it could be a position on where he will be untenable. his position to position is going to be untenable have to walk away untenable and have to walk away from this now because his wife is very famous, it's is very famous, you know, it's geri horner you know, geri homer and, you know, ginger the spice ginger spice from the spice girls. there's talk girls. and then there's talk that unhappy about that she's very unhappy about it. is now the papers it. so this is now the papers are getting of it, and are getting ahold of it, and there journalists that have there are journalists that have seen one these texts. seen every one of these texts. so they're actually true so whether they're actually true or they're not, but or whether they're not, but someone's behind this and sending out thinking, sending this out and thinking, i want this to go. want this guy to go. >> could i say one just >> could i say one word just because i enjoy saying pogba pogba. >> yes . are you referring to >> yes. are you referring to paul pogba by any chance. >> and but i just like saying the word pogba. well tell us about talk about paul pogba. >> if you could just shout pogba in the background paul pogba one

of a great footballer. of the he's a great footballer. there's question that. there's no question about that. started at manchester united and then went juventus . came back then went to juventus. came back to for £100 to manchester united for £100 million. paul pogba million. this is paul pogba that's the fella. and um anyway so what's happened is that now he's gone back to juventus and he's gone back to juventus and he was drugs tested at the start of the season. and it came back positive. so then there's we've got to have the second test. so now to cut a long story short it's been banned for four years. the guy's 30 old. if you the guy's 30 years old. if you come back aged 34 the chances are career's over. he's are the career's over. um he's of course denied it. but as matty rice—davies said once, he would say that, wouldn't he? >> four years of football. that's time. that's a long time. >> it is a long time game. it is a time, paul. a long time, paul. >> you. pleasure thank >> thank you. pleasure thank you. coming up shortly. you. coming up very shortly. we're going through we're going to be going through today's front pages. and i also want mention story and want to mention this story and see you think of this. that see what you think of this. that queen's is the queen's bohemian rhapsody is the track that people in track that most people in britain would love to be able to play britain would love to be able to play on the piano. >> yeah , well, i perfectly >> yeah, well, i perfectly understand that. don't you?

>> mean, do you think it must >> i mean, do you think it must be quite difficult ? be quite difficult? >> oh, think it is quite >> oh, i think it is quite difficult. least because the difficult. not least because the hand, keeps going hand, the left hand keeps going over right hand. over the right hand. >> it's only the start, though, isn't because the ding. isn't it, because the ding. that's i imagine that's quite easy. i imagine the start after that. then start is played after that. then it getting bit tricky. it starts getting a bit tricky. about minutes about seven minutes in. >> you've him play it at >> if you've seen him play it at wembley, you what i'm wembley, you know what i'm referring to. enough to see that no, but actually, funnily enough, up youtube no, but actually, funnily enougrecently up youtube no, but actually, funnily enougrecently because youtube no, but actually, funnily enougrecently because i youtube no, but actually, funnily enougrecently because i wentjbe no, but actually, funnily enougrecently because i went toe quite recently because i went to see a play about, um, live aid and, and so i decided to look it up a fantastic. i'm not surprised, but i wonder what piece of music our viewers would most like to play on the piano. >> please do let us know. gb views at gb news.com. or maybe you can already play something brilliantly. do tell us. stay with us. we're back. very shortly

i >> -- >> uh. welcome back. you are watching and listening to breakfast with pip and michael . breakfast with pip and michael. uh, let's take a look at some of the newspapers. so uh, we've got, uh, claire pearsall back with us. welcome back. and uh, we've got nigel, who's back with us, too. uh, nigel. what? what are you. let's move away from the by—election for a moment, shall we? yes. what would you like to tell us? >> i think the daily mail front pageis >> i think the daily mail front page is particularly good today. um, is david neil who was um, this is david neil who was fired , uh, by the home secretary fired, uh, by the home secretary for revealing that our borders are basically wide open . um, and are basically wide open. um, and now at last, that the, the various reports that he had that were being sat on are now coming out . so it puts were being sat on are now coming out. so it puts some were being sat on are now coming out . so it puts some flesh were being sat on are now coming out. so it puts some flesh on what he's already said. i mean, he's talking about the fact that passport checkpoints were left unmanned. uh x ray equipment to try and find migrants in the back of the lorries didn't work .

back of the lorries didn't work. and even when sort of immigration teams went out to try and find people , uh, illegal try and find people, uh, illegal immigrants , they had to rely on immigrants, they had to rely on google maps to go and do it. the key recommendation he comes up with, which is the one that the home secretary should take seriously, is that he's saying basically border force is not up to the job. civil servants shouldn't be in charge of our borders . he is saying that this borders. he is saying that this should be the job for a professional law enforcement agency . kc not clear whether agency. kc not clear whether that means setting up a completely new one. um, or whether he wants to use something existing . but his something existing. but his point seems to be we've got too many holes in the system. um, and regardless of what you think about immigration, i mean, clearly we do need to protect our borders . our borders. >> i mean, this is very interesting . mr neil was fired interesting. mr neil was fired upon shortly after he said publicly that our airfields were wide open to immigrant s coming in, illegal immigrants coming in

on private planes. but then we refer to the fact that 15 of his reports have been unpublished. he was fired . it was he was fired. it was inconvenient. what he was saying for the government. but still, these reports have come out. and i these reports do make i mean, these reports do make almost tragic reading, don't they?i almost tragic reading, don't they? i mean, a catalogue they? i mean, a real catalogue of incompetence. they? i mean, a real catalogue of iyeah.)etence. they? i mean, a real catalogue of iyeah. and|ce. they? i mean, a real catalogue of iyeah. and that's i'm >> yeah. and that's i'm presuming why they were presuming that's why they were being in home office, being sat on in the home office, because it , you know, it was because it, you know, it was people didn't want this stuff to come out. i mean, claire worked in the, the home office in in the, in the home office in immigration and saw very similar, similar kind of things. i mean, it just seems to me that the home office is a too big it needs to be broken up. it probably needs have probably needs to have a separate department for all. the government is a separate department for immigration because it's such a big issue. >> but but the thing if i had to give one answer what is give one word answer what is missing britain leadership. give one word answer what is missthat's britain leadership. give one word answer what is missthat's the ain leadership. give one word answer what is missthat's the point leadership. give one word answer what is missthat's the point he'sarship. give one word answer what is missthat's the point he's on. ip. and that's the point he's on. there is no leadership in an agency like this. you know, there's the so—called management. there are structures and bureaucracies and hr departments, but no leadership .

departments, but no leadership. >> well, you could actually say that about politics overall. i mean, you were i'm saying it very, very broadly. >> claire. claire, are you surprised by this ? then, as surprised by this? then, as nigel said, working in the home office, i mean, more holes in this system than a colander, by the sounds of it. >> absolutely. it was >> absolutely. and it was quite interesting these 13 interesting that these 13 reports have been of dumped reports have been sort of dumped onto office website onto the home office website yesterday, hoping to bury this news somewhere along the line. but unfortunately , the findings but unfortunately, the findings are incredibly damning. and i did see that when i started at the home office on my desk was a pile of reports from from independent border force person who was who was in charge at the time. it wasn't david neal. it was another gentleman. but they hadnt was another gentleman. but they hadn't been read. they hadn't been assessed and were just sort of left there. and nobody had taken responsibility . so they taken responsibility. so they had to be. and i find one of the findings, the culture of defensiveness within the home office that officials are putting themselves up against

policy. they're not doing it. they're not going out and talking to people, and they're hiding behind their desks or working from home. in fact, to avoid going out and seeing for themselves what is happening now. is appalling part now. that is appalling is part of the issue, because it's understaffed . but no, i don't understaffed. but no, i don't think it is. i think this is down to leadership . this is down down to leadership. this is down to not being challenged . this is to not being challenged. this is down not having a manager. if down to not having a manager. if you like, as a home secretary who is going to say, this is the will of the government and this is what we want to do now, the officials are there to provide you with information , the you with information, the information that you ask for. they are not there to put their own political spin or their own personal upon personal beliefs upon that. >> while we're talking about >> and while we're talking about dreadful the british dreadful failures by the british state, you have another story here, which is about the dreadful , here, which is about the dreadful, um, policeman who was a murderer and rapist . a murderer and rapist. >> now, this is a gentleman who should never have been a police

officer. >> he's not a gentleman . >> he's not a gentleman. >> he's not a gentleman. >> he's not a gentleman. >> he is not a gentleman. i'm being kind. i don't wish to his name . name. >> his name is cousins. >> his name is cousins. >> it is. >> his name is cousins. >> it is . and i. i really don't >> it is. and i. i really don't like to mention his name because i think that that gives him some kind credence in society kind of credence in society where he shouldn't it. the where he shouldn't have it. the murder everard was murder of sarah everard was appalling. the failures of the police vetting service in the first place. this was not something that should have been left unchecked . they had red left unchecked. they had red flags . he had left unchecked. they had red flags. he had a left unchecked. they had red flags . he had a pattern of flags. he had a pattern of behaviour and criminality heating over 20 years, which was not picked up by three different police forces. that's right. i mean, kent police and i live in the great county of kent and kent police had said that he shouldn't be suitable, but that information acted upon information was never acted upon and have gone from and he seemed to have gone from that parliamentary and that to parliamentary and diplomatic protection within the house of commons. >> of the police, just just >> one of the police, just just to if people hadn't read this or heard about this so far, one of it was a very serious sexual assault on a child and reported to police eight times for

indecent exposure before the attack . string of sexual attack. string of sexual offences was attempted knifepoint kidnap . i mean, how knifepoint kidnap. i mean, how on earth would that not be uncovered ? uncovered? >> well, i mean, this is the question that needs to be answered. who was the person when they found that wayne couzens was not suitable to be a police officer who decided that actually , we can ignore that and actually, we can ignore that and we can give him a warrant card and put him out there in charge of public protection because i find that failure to be abhorrent and it shouldn't have happened. it really shouldn't. and the metropolitan police force , just on their own, have a force, just on their own, have a massive problem when it comes to confidence amongst women that we are going to be protected on the street, in our homes , in our street, in our homes, in our workplaces and i don't see the road back to that confidence being a particularly easy one to climb. >> nigel nelson , let's change >> nigel nelson, let's change the subject a bit. we were talking a moment ago about members of parliament and a rather self—satisfied way

worrying about votes about gaza, but the story this morning is that 100 palestinians were killed in some sort of situation. crowd around a relief truck, not clear how many of them were shot by israeli forces. not clear how many of them died in the subsequent panic, but 100 people around a relief truck ? relief truck? >> well, i mean, if this is true, it's horrific. bear in mind, this is a report from the hamas controlled health department in gaza. um, but, i mean, we do know that an awful lot of people are being killed. the again , the health ministry the again, the health ministry is saying that we're now over 30,000 people so far . the point 30,000 people so far. the point really here is it enhances what everyone seems to be trying to get towards as a ceasefire is real, has every right to defend itself. it needs to do so proportionally early. and that is what is now in question . is what is now in question. >> and that ceasefire president biden, when he was very inappropriately holding an ice

cream as he said it, a couple of days ago, could have could, he said, be happening as soon as i think this this this monday, in the next few days, that's been well set back. yes >> i mean, the trouble is there seems to be, um , no, no great seems to be, um, no, no great appetite from the israelis to have a ceasefire . the netanyahu have a ceasefire. the netanyahu keeps talking about the fact we carry on till we win this war or, well, that is not that is not ceasefire type language. even though negotiations are going on in egypt with hamas. um, i mean, that going back to the chaos in the house of commons last week, we had three motions down which were broadly the same. there were certain there were slight differences, but there now seems to be a consensus in this country that we should head for a ceasefire. america says the same thing. israel should listen. >> okay, nigel, thank you for now. thank you . claire, we are now. thank you. claire, we are back with you very shortly. so much to talk about. by elections. saint david's day, plenty still to come. annie

shuttleworth has your weather first. that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers. >> sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hello. good morning and welcome to your latest gb news weather update with me, annie, from the met office. some heavy rain will push into southwest areas through the rest of the day. also risk of some day. there's also a risk of some sleet and snow over the hills, but the heaviest rain will push from affecting from the southwest, affecting southwestern of england southwestern areas of england and of wales. that's and parts of south wales. that's where weather warning where there's a weather warning in today. but in force throughout today. but this push into this band of rain will push into more areas of england this band of rain will push into morewill areas of england this band of rain will push into morewill fall areas of england this band of rain will push into morewill fall as reas of england this band of rain will push into morewill fall as snowyf england this band of rain will push into morewill fall as snow overgland this band of rain will push into morewill fall as snow over the d that will fall as snow over the high ground above around 250m, mainly so lower levels will mainly so lower levels will mainly just see rain , but we mainly just see rain, but we also see some quite blustery showers following behind that showers following in behind that across southern and central across many southern and central areas. to be areas. and it's going to be feeling chilly out there feeling rather chilly out there today, particularly on any coastal areas and in any showers where we've got quite a strong wind through tonight, it's going to staying quite unsettled. to be staying quite unsettled. many will see further rain

many areas will see further rain . push into more . that band will push into more northern areas, into parts of scotland where it could bring a further risk of some sleet and snow, some ice on snow, potentially some ice on the roads. it's going to be a frostier start we do see frostier start where we do see any skies developing any clear skies developing to saturday , but much much saturday morning, but much much of the rain will be restricted to eastern areas throughout the morning on saturday, particularly north particularly across north eastern areas of england . that's eastern areas of england. that's where we could see some further snow falling the high snow falling over the high ground. further south. it should be bit drier through be a little bit drier through the but there will be the morning, but there will be some pushing across some showers pushing in across coastal the afternoon. coastal areas by the afternoon. these risk of some hail these bring a risk of some hail and some heavy downpours, and it will feel chilly once will still feel chilly once again on saturday. it does look again on saturday. it does look a bit drier and bright a little bit drier and bright and brighter on sunday, though. by and brighter on sunday, though. by outlook with by then a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on .

george galloway has swept to victory at the rochdale by—election after one of the most divisive campaigns in years. >> george galloway is back in parliament after a nine year break as mp for. mp for rochdale and a message for keir starmer , and a message for keir starmer, saying he will pay a high price in gaza to remove change. >> denial . you said in the >> denial. you said in the hustings that you wanted to extract oil and gas from the nonh extract oil and gas from the north sea. >> the workers party of britain leader gained almost 40% of the vote but faced backlash within seconds of his victory. vote but faced backlash within seconds of his victory . and here seconds of his victory. and here is the stark message for labour

leader sir keir starmer. >> i think keir starmer has woken up this morning to his worst nightmare . worst nightmare. >> meanwhile, nigel farage warned about sectarian politics in britain is it sectarian politics? >> is here to stay? people thought the result in 2012, in bradford west, was a complete one off. it wasn't . it was one off. it wasn't. it was a warning shot. this is voting along religious lines allied to some extreme hard left characters like the chris williamson's know this is real. >> also this morning, the government's flagship rwanda policy could end up costing more than £600 million to deport 300 refugees. that's according to a spending watchdog . spending watchdog. >> yes, the full cost of sending a migrant to rwanda has just been revealed, and it doesn't make for pretty reading for the taxpayer. find out more with me very soon. beautiful gardens ,

very soon. beautiful gardens, eternal flowers . eternal flowers. >> maybe you know the way. so take me there . take me there. >> won't you make me dizzy ? >> won't you make me dizzy? >> won't you make me dizzy? >> olly alexander releases his eurovision 2024 entry dizzy and the music video will be out imminently . imminently. >> and a very happy saint david day to everyone celebrating in wales and beyond . wales and beyond. >> and in the sport, i feel as if we should do eurovision in the sport, you know it's still a competition. the new f1 season begins in bahrain as it begins christian has a more on his christian has a lot more on his mind racing. horner that mind than racing. horner that is, we've seen the last of paul pogba , probably as a pogba, probably as a professional footballer , and the professional footballer, and the world indoor athletics championships glasgow championships start in glasgow today. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> a day out there for >> it's a cold day out there for many areas and there's some snow due for some. find out all the details with me a little later on. >> good morning i'm pip tomson

>> good morning i'm pip tomson >> morning i'm michael >> good morning i'm michael portillo this breakfast portillo and this is breakfast on news . on gb news. >> it is friday. great to have you with us. so much to talk about politically with that by—election overnight. but just a bit of a bit of lighter news this morning. and that is a story about what most of us would like to play on the piano. now. bohemian rhapsody by queen has topped a poll, and we asked what you would like to play . what you would like to play. michael, do you ever see the only thing i can play is memory from cats. >> well done. that's very good. the only one i've thought of playing because it sounds very simple, is the man by taylor swift. i i am a swiftie. >> are you? >> are you? >> and you know, it's got a very. dah dah. it sounds very, very. dah dah. it sounds very, very straightforward , but very straightforward, but actually i did i did one day sit down and try to do it. and even on that one i failed michael

portillo says he's a swiftie. it's old news. gb news broke this story some time ago. yeah, yeah, sorry. >> it must have been. it must have been before my arrival. maybe. uh, what? some of maybe. uh, what? what some of you are saying is, danny , the you are saying is, danny, the old greensleeves song ? yeah, old greensleeves song? yeah, yeah, you could manage that, probably. >> yeah. wrong >> yeah. wrong >> morning. meatloaf heaven can wait. your late wife's favourite song. and you had it played at her funeral. brings a tear. well, understandably, every time you hear it, randall 9985 by paul mccartney . and who else paul mccartney. and who else have we got? this now, freddie says this is an odd one, but i'd like to play bee bumble and the stingers. nut rocker . do you stingers. nut rocker. do you know that one? >> that's not my special subject, actually, no , no. subject, actually, no, no. >> well, i thought i look at me because i'm not sure that i do ehhen >> charlie. any, any, any idea here? >> former former advisor thinks

he's talking about politics. what would you play on the piano ? >> well, funnily enough, i would like to actually play and properly new york, new york by frank sinatra because that is thatis frank sinatra because that is that is my karaoke song, along with memory from cats. if it takes a turn in the evening, it was one that was one of the first songs i learned to play on the piano. >> i mean, because because it is very simple. one from very simple. this one from stewart. is a good one. the stewart. this is a good one. the last section layla, eric last section of layla, eric clapton, piano takes clapton, where the piano takes the guitar the lead and the slide guitar comes a tune. yeah very, comes in a tune. yeah very, very, very beautiful choice that i >> -- >> well, m >> well, that's that's stirred them didn't it? them up. didn't it? >> more than a by—election in rochdale. maybe who knows. but let's let's talk about that because it was a dramatic night. george galloway. galloway of the workers party of britain has won one of the most divisive and controversial by—election contests in recent history. >> uh , turnout at the >> uh, turnout at the by—election was 39.7, which doesn't sound like much, but it was higher than expected. uh, this was galloway's message to labour leader sir keir starmer.

>> keir starmer , this is for >> keir starmer, this is for gaza. >> keir starmer, this is for gaza . you have paid and you will gaza. you have paid and you will pay a gaza. you have paid and you will pay a high price for the role that you have played in enabling , encouraging and covering for the catastrophe . we are the catastrophe. we are presently going on in occupied palestine in the gaza strip . palestine in the gaza strip. >> that was george galloway. in the small hours of this morning. and joining us now is our political editor, christopher hope. christopher um, the polls would suggest that that sir keir starmer will be prime minister by the end of the year. do you believe that today's by—election result will cause him to change his position on a ceasefire ? his position on a ceasefire? >> not a jot, i would say. michael. morning, michael moore. he won't change his position. i

think on the gaza ceasefire . think on the gaza ceasefire. he's he's he's held this line as best he can walking really in lockstep with the government. all through his time as as labour leader. he's been very clear. he's not going to diverge away on issues of security, on big foreign policy issues. labour squarely behind and labour stood squarely behind and with the tory government. and thatis with the tory government. and that is a difference between jeremy corbyn. of course, his behaviour over the salisbury poisonings was noted by many when he questioned whether or said was it right that russia were behind those poisonings? so i think a difference i think that is a difference you're seeing with sir keir starmer he's walking starmer. he's walking in lockstep issues of lockstep on big issues of foreign with the foreign policy with the government. he goes with government. so he goes with them. is certainly a huge blow, though , for the for the tory though, for the for the tory party and for the labour party that the quote from george galloway, galloway, which has struck rochdale , is struck out here in rochdale, is he last night that keir he said last night that keir starmer sunak are two starmer and rishi sunak are two cheeks of the same backside . cheeks of the same backside. they both got well and truly spanked tonight here in rochdale and that is certainly true with

both the two main parties pushed back into third and fourth, with galloway winning and an independent candidate coming second. the extraordinary thing is, of course, is that galloway said there in that clip. this is for gaza not for the people for gaza and not for the people of rochdale. for gaza. of rochdale. this is for gaza. and that's where he how he won this by—election, because he's focussed the muslim focussed intensely on the muslim population. concerns population. and there concerns about people the about the people of gaza and the israeli attacks are trying to find hostages . so a real find those hostages. so a real wake up call, i think, for the main parties and a historic by—election here in rochdale . by—election here in rochdale. >> okay. christopher hope, thank you . we're going to discuss this you. we're going to discuss this further with our but further with our panel, but let's hear what george let's just hear what george galloway did say overnight right after winning. we've got 59 parliamentary candidates ready to go and we'll stand in therefore three score lead seats and either defeat them ourselves or cause their defeat . or cause their defeat. >> and there will be independence , not workers party, independence, not workers party, but independence that we're ready to support. who will stand

up and down the country . and i up and down the country. and i know of many already in the field who will now be energised by the result here tonight. i think keir starmer has woken up this morning to his worst nightmare . nightmare. >> maybe then a nightmare for sir keir starmer. interesting to hear christopher hope say that hear christopher hope say that he does not believe that keir starmer will change policy . starmer will change his policy. well, now, rejoining well, joining us now, rejoining us, uh, former special adviser charlie rowley and former labour mp denis macshane, joining a former conservative mp, michael portillo. we've got all the formers today . portillo. we've got all the formers today. um, dennis, formers here today. um, dennis, earlier i was saying that it struck me that the labour party might be quite shaken by this in scotland in particular, because, as in scotland, if you're to the left of the labour party and if you're more in favour of an unconditional sort of ceasefire, you have somewhere else to go, which the snp, which you which is the snp, which you don't have in england. and you've portillo you've tested the portillo thesis out on a senior labour figure. is that right? >> that's right. i thought it was very interesting a fair

was very interesting and a fair point. so i did one of the point. so i did call one of the most veteran labour communication chiefs and campaigners, highly respected , campaigners, highly respected, won't give a name. it's not fair. her point was simply that george galloway is deeply unpopular in scotland . he unpopular in scotland. he actually campaigned with the far right against scottish independence, which were the snp . he is far more important than israel, frankly, so he doesn't have much traction there. >> brexiteer as well he did. >> brexiteer as well he did. >> oh, he does everything. i mean he, he said. bradford when he was elected there in one of these wonderful by elections that everybody said would change the of british politics. he the face of british politics. he declared bradford must be covered free zone. well, covered israel free zone. well, it you know, people still eat jaffa oranges in bradford and he lost the next general election . lost the next general election. >> charlie lake there. they have got problems . i mean, they've got problems. i mean, they've made such a massive missed lake. well, say mistake , that's well, say mistake, that's probably an understatement. in rochdale . this could have rochdale. this could have ramifications, could it not for

the rest of the country. i think so. 50. >> so. >> and look you know, sir keir starmer has positioned himself to say that after four years he's changed labour party. he's changed the labour party. so anti—semitism , so rooting out anti—semitism, um, when clearly they then had a candidate that on to make candidate that went on to make the appalling comments the most appalling comments saying for saying blaming israel for effectively attack effectively the terrorist attack that place on the 7th of that took place on the 7th of october. it was a botched selection. they had a terrible candidate they had to disown, having stood by him and took weeks of negative press coverage , uh, which, you know, obviously didn't help their cause. they got stuck with this candidate. they've lost this by—election, which was a labour stronghold . which was a labour stronghold. they should have won in any other normal times, they would have won it. but it's a complete failure of the vetting process. the candidate , the campaign the candidate, the campaign itself, which is why that they have lost so badly. >> and the is now we have >> and the result is now we have george a divisive george galloway, a very divisive figure , and the campaign for figure, and the campaign for anti—semitism has come out this morning and said we are extremely concerned this morning i >> exactly. m >> exactly. so and i'm it is a

cause for concern because the election itself, as george galloway said in his victory speech there that this is for gaza. so it was a an election based on international and foreign affairs . it based on international and foreign affairs. it had nothing to do effectively with the people of rochdale. and i do feel for those people who are clearly worried about the cost of living, that cost, about the economy, about schools, about hospitals, health care hospitals, about health care and all of and they've all the rest of it. and they've got member of parliament now got a member of parliament now from months that is from a number of months that is just going to be focussed, it seems to me on into national affairs and not delivering for what's people of rochdale. >> the detailed result is on the screen. uh only the only the first, uh, 6 7 there, um, can first, uh, 6 or 7 there, um, can i make a point that i've not heard anyone else make that there candidates and there were 11 candidates and they men. strange um, they were 11 men. strange um, indeed. denis macshane, you heard, um, christopher hope a moment ago saying that he did not believe that this would have the changing keir the effect of changing keir starmer's his wording starmer's position, his wording on ceasefire. do you share on a ceasefire. do you share that confidence? >> it's not a question of confidence, keir is broadly or

labouris confidence, keir is broadly or labour is broadly where the canadian government is. the australian government is germany, , the great germany, france, the great democracies of the world. no, they are all dead unhappy with they are all dead unhappy with the netanyahu aggression, the unbelievable 30,000 people killed, maybe 70,000 injured, utterly unacceptable. and that's coming up more and more strongly in statements by john healey, the defence secretary, david lammy , the shadow. sorry, shadow lammy, the shadow. sorry, shadow defence secretary. for the time being, i must say this will by—election may well be regarded as the first big by—election defeat for the era, but defeat for the starmer era, but we can come to that later. uh and what? they're not prepared to go right down the road in saying, in effect support to hamas and that is the giant dilemma of mr putin's doing that he's invited just invited them all to moscow, hamas for a ceasefire support. no it isn't, it isn't. he's called for a ceasefire. qualified by humanitarian hamas principle and only demand supported by their supporters around the world, like mr putin is for a permanent

ceasefire that may be a nuance thing, and it certainly is. but let's be very, very clear when israel withdrew every israeli literally pulled them out by the ankles , dumped them in trucks ankles, dumped them in trucks who were living in gaza, and they thought they'd got a deal then with the palestinians . and then with the palestinians. and two months later, the missiles started falling down and killing jews. we're not saying everything netanyahu's done. it's been completely and utterly wrong. i accept that , like with wrong. i accept that, like with the ira, michael, you'll remember mrs. thatcher was incredibly tough. don't talk to them. don't let them on the television. then along came john major , who said, jaw, jaw is major, who said, jaw, jaw is better than war, war. and then tony blair. got the good tony blair. we got the good friday agreement. so we friday peace agreement. so we just to hope and pray just have to hope and pray within israel . some people say within israel. some people say even you, you make peace with your enemy , never with your your enemy, never with your friends. that there'll be a change. it's not going to happen now with all the tensions we don't know the fate of the

hostages that are going on. so uh. but believe me, i'm a laboun uh. but believe me, i'm a labour. nobody i know in the labour. nobody i know in the labour party is defending israel. >> um, of course, a very important difference in the snp motion before parliament last week. was it accused israel of inflicting collective punishment on gaza? the importance of that is that that is regarded as a war crime. there was no way that laboun war crime. there was no way that labour, as i say, a party that thinks it's going to be in government later in the year, could accuse israel of collective punishment . um, denis collective punishment. um, denis macshane and charlie rowley, thank you very much indeed . i've thank you very much indeed. i've rather lost track of whether we're going to see you again, but it's lovely. it's lovely. >> you like me to play something on the piano? would you like us to some more of her? >> we are. >> we are. >> we are going to change subject. but oddly, not. onto the subject of your choice. we're go on to getting we're going to go on to getting on of rishi sunak on to the cost of rishi sunak troubled rwanda asylum scheme. it appears that it could soar to half billion pounds and that half a billion pounds and that

is for sending a few hundred refugees to rwanda. >> the home office has so far refused to say how much more money on top of the 290 million already confirmed . already confirmed. >> but a national audit office report has revealed millions more in spending, including 11,000 for each migrants plane ticket . ticket. >> joining us now is gb news political correspondent olivia utley . olivia, this is going to utley. olivia, this is going to be absolutely shocking to people. all this money, we know planes are off the ground and we don't even know that any will get off the ground. and if they do £11,000 per inaya people really . really. >> i think you're absolutely right. pip it is going to be shocking to people . and the shocking to people. and the breakdown from the national audit office suggests that in the end, £171,000 will be spent on each and every migrant who is deported to rwanda. that's a £20,000 initial outlay plus .

£20,000 initial outlay plus. 151,000 over five years for the cost of food, accommodation , cost of food, accommodation, etc. on top of that , you've got etc. on top of that, you've got the plane tickets which should come to about £11,000 per person. and actually the reuters estimate is that it could end up costing £600 million, over half £1 billion. now labour has already come out fighting about this. we've had criticism from yvette cooper and we've also had criticism from dame diana johnson, who chairs the home affairs select committee. and interestingly , she says that interestingly, she says that these costs are phenomenal, even when you compare them to putting up migrants in high end hotels. now to me, that suggests that labour could possibly be paving the way to continue that policy of pushing up migrants in hotels on the grounds that it is actually cheaper than offshoring them. it will be really interesting to see how that goes down with the public. what i find fascinating , fascinating

find fascinating, fascinating about this, and what i found fascinating about this for quite a long time now, is the amount of political capital that rishi sunak has used up on this rwanda plan. now, if you actually look at the illegal immigration statistics from 2023 compared to 2022, the number of small boat crossings has actually gone down under rishi sunak. i mean , part under rishi sunak. i mean, part of that is because of the weather, but part of it is because of a deal that rishi sunak agreed with the albanian prime minister. but instead of trumpet ing that deal, instead of trumpeting his successes so far don't hear much about far we don't hear much about rishi sunaks successes on the small boats issue. he has made rwanda the central tenet of his illegal immigration policy. now, i've spoken to plenty of conservative mps who think that is a very strange decision because, as you say, pip, not only is it hugely , hugely only is it hugely, hugely expensive, but we still don't know if any planes will actually take off for rwanda. but the bill is going through report stage in the house of lords at

the moment. it will be amended. it will go back to the commons, it will go back to the lords, andifs it will go back to the lords, and it's all going to drag out for a very long time. the idea of planes getting off ground of planes getting off the ground before general election is before the general election is now vanishingly now looking vanishingly unlikely. interesting unlikely. we very interesting comment olivia utley . comment from olivia utley. >> we don't have time to pursue it but i suppose the it right now, but i suppose the government's might be government's argument might be that illegal migration is very expensive and if this scheme were to provide a disincentive to illegal migration, it might in the long terme prove to be value for money. anyway, it is time to go to the weather. annie shuttleworth has it for us. >> hello . good morning and >> hello. good morning and welcome to your latest gb news weather update with me, annie from the met office. some heavy rain will push into southwestern areas through the rest of the day. there's a risk of some day. there's also a risk of some sleet and over the hills, sleet and snow over the hills, but heaviest rain push but the heaviest rain will push from southwest, affecting from the southwest, affecting southwestern areas of england and parts of south wales. that's where a weather where there's a weather warning in force throughout this

in force throughout today. this band will push into more band of rain will push into more northern england that northern areas of england that will snow over high will fall as snow over the high ground around 250m, mainly ground above around 250m, mainly so lower levels will mainly just see rain , but we also see some see rain, but we also see some quite blustery showers following in that many in behind that across many southern and central areas. and it's to feeling rather it's going to be feeling rather chilly out there today, particularly any coastal particularly on any coastal areas and in any showers where we've quite a strong wind we've got quite a strong wind through tonight, it's going to be quhe through tonight, it's going to be quite unsettled. many be staying quite unsettled. many areas see further rain. areas will see further rain. that push into more that band will push into more northern areas, into parts of scotland where we could bring a further risk of some sleet and snow, some ice on snow, potentially some ice on the roads. it's going to be a frosty start where we do see any clear skies developing to saturday morning, but much much of will be restricted of the rain will be restricted to throughout the to eastern areas throughout the morning saturday, morning on saturday, particularly across north eastern of england . that's eastern areas of england. that's where could see some further where we could see some further snow high snow falling over the high ground. further south. it should be little drier through be a little bit drier through the morning, but there will be some showers pushing in across coastal areas by the afternoon. these hail these bring a risk of some hail

and some downpours , and it and some heavy downpours, and it will feel chilly once will still feel chilly once again it does look again on saturday. it does look again on saturday. it does look a little bit drier and brighter and brighter sunday, though. and brighter on sunday, though. by >> stay with us here on breakfast. still to come. well michael's keeping the seat warm for a certain stephen dixon today who is celebrating a very special birthday today. and hopefully he'll be joining us a little later for a little celebration. and we are also getting a sneak peek to the uk's entry for eurovision. that's .

next welcome back . very good morning. welcome back. very good morning. you know, i think that's the first time we've spoken over each other . it was it first time we've spoken over each other. it was it was bound to happen. >> i want to say welcome back to. but there are. we both

to. but there we are. we both welcome you back. on go. welcome you back. on you go. >> happy saint david's day to you are watching and you all. you are watching and listening with pip listening to breakfast with pip and michael joining us now and michael now joining us now we professor of we have the professor of politics the university of politics at the university of strathclyde, sir john curtis. >> is an extraordinary >> he is an extraordinary pollster and psephologist . john, pollster and psephologist. john, welcome to the program. it's absolutely great to have you on board. i imagine you've been busy with your slide rule all night. um george galloway said that what made this a remarkable by—election result was that both the main parties took a thumping, and he thought that that exceptional. that was pretty exceptional. i think may even have claimed think he may even have claimed that it was unique. how close to the truth is he on that? >> well, statistically, he's certainly absolutely spot on. um, only around 20% of those who turned out in rochdale voted for either labour or conservative. and i think that is a post—war low for the combined total , uh, low for the combined total, uh, for the two parties. so to that extent at least, indeed , it is a extent at least, indeed, it is a remarkable result . it's also remarkable result. it's also remarkable, of course, not just simply because mr galloway, for

the second time, time has managed to win a by—election, representing a party that was not currently. it is not currently represented inside the house of commons and that's something that's only happened very , very rarely done by very, very rarely done by anybody, but also the performance of mr tully , the performance of mr tully, the independent candidate , who, with independent candidate, who, with 21% or so of the vote , actually 21% or so of the vote, actually has also put in a record performance for an independent candidate in post—war by—election. so there are all sorts of ways in which statistically, this a quite remarkable result . uh, but of remarkable result. uh, but of course, it's mr galloway who has stolen the headlines , and it's stolen the headlines, and it's the extent to which mr galloway does pose a wider threat, not least to the labour party. that is the question that most people are asking themselves this morning, john, something we haven't talked about them quite as much this morning is the conservatives >> they didn't really figure anywhere. so there's no good news for them really is there

with this result. >> no, no absolutely not. >> no, no absolutely not. >> so they they might notice sir keir's discomfiture at losing to george galloway . and the way george galloway. and the way that's likely to increase the tension inside the labour party over what stance it should be adopting vis a vis gaza. many labour mps with muslim constituencies have already been pressurising secure to adopt a more critical stance towards israel, but the truth is, the conservative vote down by 19 points. it's the biggest fall in the conservative vote in a by—election in this parliament, where labour were defending the seat. it's a far cry from hartlepool. back in may 2021, when conservatives were able to take a seat off labour and frankly, that extended at least this by—election is of a piece with wellingborough , uh, and with wellingborough, uh, and tamworth and the other various by elections in recent months in which the conservatives have taken a pasting . and that's taken a pasting. and that's happened despite the fact that reform that we've been talking about, are they now posing a threat to the conservative party

across the uk? so the reform candidate, simon danczuk the former labour mp for the constituency , actually did less constituency, actually did less well than the brexit party did in terms of share of the vote back in 2019. so always round, no obvious good news for the conservative party in any of this, other than just looking at the discomfiture of their opponents. >> um, john, i have a feeling you'll still be talking about the rochdale by—election and your analysis in 20 30 years your analysis in 20 or 30 years time, and we look forward to all those future analysis. andy williams, left centre williams, the left of centre political analyst, is still with us. you've had time for the result to sink in. do you have any kind of new reflections, any new thoughts that have occurred to you? >> well, i think it's i think what as always, what sir john was saying there was very interesting. we haven't talked much today about the fact that the conservative vote is massively would never massively down. we would never have have won have expected them to have won the rochdale by—election, but they figure at all they didn't even figure at all in this by—election. also not a

very night for reform. um, very good night for reform. um, if the insurgent party if they are the insurgent party that they claim to be winning less than 2000 votes is not a very good result. so i think as we've been saying all morning, a huge victory . we i think huge victory. we i think personally for george galloway , personally for george galloway, a unique figure in british politics, to win three by elections in three different constituencies with two separate parties over the years is quite a remarkable achievement. whatever you think of him dumping me, i want to by elections in separate. >> well, it's not bad, michael. >> well, it's not bad, michael. >> not bad. >> not bad. >> how serious should sir keir, sir keir starmer take this result? this morning and should , result? this morning and should, should he change his language on the war in gaza? >> i he will come under pressure to take a more hardline stance on the ceasefire. i think his position has clearly evolved. uh he's not managed. i don't think this situation brilliantly . so this situation brilliantly. so for moving forward, it's about having clarity on, uh, on labour's position .

labour's position. >> you said that before we take you up on that, what would have been brilliant? what what what is the middle position that you can spot in keir starmer can't on this issue . on this issue. >> yes. on this. well i think it's, i think it's an extremely difficult issue. yes. i think it's very, very difficult. and actually very well us sniping. >> but what is the brilliant position that he's not taking. >> i don't know but i, i'm >> well i don't know but i, i'm not leader of labour not the leader of the labour party. one the many party. it's one of the many reasons i'm not the leader of the labour party. >> i think. i think, you know, we say again and again these we do say again and again these people being clumsy. these people are being clumsy. these people are being clumsy. these people saying the right people aren't saying the right thing, it is extremely thing, but it is extremely difficult the right difficult to know what the right thing commentator >> political commentator andy williams, thank you very much for now it was on for your thoughts. now it was on this that the this day in 1984 that the national announced national coal board announced the cortonwood the closure of cortonwood colliery south yorkshire. colliery in south yorkshire. >> days later, the >> four days later, the cortonwood out on strike. >> where were you in 1984? >> where were you in 1984? >> i was i was the special adviser to the chancellor of the exchequer and later in the year i would become the conservative member of parliament for enfield

southgate. and my election was conducted , admittedly, in london conducted, admittedly, in london at a time when the miners strike was roaring away . right. was roaring away. right. >> so you remember i >> okay. so you remember this. i remember it incredibly well. the strikes spread rapidly through the , polarised the the coalfields, polarised the country left a legacy in the country and left a legacy in the former mining communities. our reporter, anna riley , has more . reporter, anna riley, has more. >> this was cottonwood colliery. now it's a busy retail park in south yorkshire. the announcement to close the pit triggered the nationwide miners strikes , one of the most strikes, one of the most significant industrial disputes of the 24th century. john greaves was one of those miners that stopped working 12 months on strike with no money. >> yeah, it's hard work, hard delivered, part time work . >> yeah, it's hard work, hard delivered, part time work. um, and we managed it. families split up because brothers, some brothers went back to work and, you know, there were all the bad things that happen. john things that could happen. john was devastated when production stopped his pits in

stopped at his pits in goldthorpe . goldthorpe. >> he was in his 40s and had worked there since he left school. >> i thought the world had come to an end. i really did. i don't mind admitting i cried on the way home. i couldn't see a future. not that i bring myself in any risk, but i just thought, i don't know what i'm going to do because i've done a lot, you know, a lot of things know, i've done a lot of things while in pit, but it just while in the pit, but it just seemed alien to move out seemed alien to me to move out of environment that i was of that environment that i was so comfortable with. i love the work. the conditions were awful, but really didn't know but i really didn't know anything else . the camaraderie anything else. the camaraderie was to none. anything else. the camaraderie wassince to none. anything else. the camaraderie wassince the) none. anything else. the camaraderie wassince the pityne. anything else. the camaraderie wassince the pit closed in, >> since the pit closed in, goldthorpe , urban decay is set goldthorpe, urban decay is set in with boarded up shops and houses lining streets. once thriving with trade, these pits have shut . have shut. >> it's just gone downhill . >> it's just gone downhill. >> it's just gone downhill. >> there's drugs all over the place and, uh , you never see any place and, uh, you never see any council workers around here cleaning it up or anything. we've had a murder. >> um, the other week. um i wouldn't say it's a great place

at the minute to be bringing kids up. >> when i was younger, everybody knew everybody. we were safe. one street, we'd go to all the shops as banks and stuff like that. it'sjust shops as banks and stuff like that. it's just gone from that to zero. when the pits closed, the sort of government never had a back up strategy for , you a back up strategy for, you know, employment in this area . know, employment in this area. >> so everybody just went from earning money, regular earning good money, uh, regular money to nothing. filmmaker. rebecca and dean sills have produced the award winning film regeneration to chronicle south yorkshire's mining history. >> most of the family were miners. >> my grandad's were miners. the margaret grumbles were miners, so it's like a memory from really. >> we've got to remember it because, like there were an older generation like our rebecca. don't have a clue what this area were like when they were pits here. it looks totally different. so there's a lot of areas that's rundown. then areas that's rundown. but then you've beautiful areas like you've got beautiful areas like where we are today , 40 years on, where we are today, 40 years on, the miners strike is remembered by those that lived through it.

>> but the effects of the pit closures remain to this day. anna riley . gb news. anna riley. gb news. >> for me, it's fascinating. i think all the way through this 40th anniversary year, we should look back on the miners strike in very striking things that arthur scargill, who led the strike, began it in the summer when, course, the demand for when, of course, the demand for electricity was at its lowest and he didn't hold a ballot, which meant that the miners split into two, which is one of the reasons why the government won the strike. the other reflection is that although it's so to see these communities, so sad to see these communities, you propose now you know, who could propose now that go down pit and that a man go down a pit and subject himself to working in those conditions and pneumoconiosis who could pneumoconiosis and who could propose that take propose now that we take coal out the and burn it? out of the earth and burn it? all of this the context all of this was in the context before. that is true. we understood global warming. >> can see how it >> but you can see how it decimated the colliery decimated areas and the colliery now a retail complex. now is now a retail complex. cortonwood colliery indeed. thanks, for anna that report. we're going to move on to sport

with paul coyte . what have we with paul coyte. what have we got? >> well, it's the christian horner situation seems to be overshadowing the start of the f1 season. nobody's happy about that apart from probably netflix to be honest with you. but we'll talk more about that in a second.

>> welcome back. you are watching and listening to breakfast this friday morning with pip and michael portillo . with pip and michael portillo. so lovely to have you here. honestly, i don't want to embarrass you, but we are getting so many viewers saying how great it is. >> that is very nice. i must say. it's a joy to be you say. it's a joy to be with you and i really do thank you for looking after me. um, so i believe it's time to, uh, go to the shall we do that? the sport. uh, shall we do that? >> yeah. what would you like to talk about first, michael? although me just although you did say to me just now, know, we've lot now, you know, we've got a lot of sport, there's not of sport, but there's not actually a lot of sport. it's.

well it all we usually do scandals is there is. i mean, there is. it's there's all these stories there's these stories and there's all these back and that back stories and scandals that are going main one is are going on. the main one is obviously christian horner, which on in f1 now. which is going on in f1 now. they wanted f1 would have wanted all this put away, put to bed, done and dusted before the start of the season, which is this weekend. now there's more that's going on than meets the eye when it comes to this story. a couple of weeks ago, as i mentioned earlier , the story was there was earlier, the story was there was these inappropriate messages or an behaviour an inappropriate behaviour that he accused of to do with he was accused of to do with someone who was also working at red bull. so then there was an inquiry and the inquiry was held. and we're talking about like 20 hours of questioning. i don't know how many questions and how long this would go for, on it was then it was on but it was then it was exonerated. there's no problem. there's to answer there's nothing to answer here. everything's and now we everything's done. and now we can on with the season's can get on with the season's racing. and then yesterday a text was sent or a series of alleged messages were sent out.

there was 149 messages, an anonymous email from just the date, 29th of february that was sent to people involved. f1 personnel and media. yesterday, seven nine screenshots of improper messages. there's no proof that it's come from him, but the story is, is that this is what was being someone is on a mission. >> someone is that man down? >> someone is that man down? >> yeah, i know it sounds like scooby doo. it's like, you know, i said this the other day, you know, we would have got away with was if you meddling kids, someone's in this or someone one is to bring down is trying to bring down christian horner, is trying to bring down christian homer, and i think he knows said anything? knows it has he said anything? no, said nothing well, no, he said nothing again. well, apart denying that any apart from denying that any anything improper is completely denied . and that's all he has to denied. and that's all he has to say. and again, we're going to go into season. we're going go into the season. we're going into bahrain. we're going into the weekend, and the race over the weekend, and that's going to that's all anybody's going to want in the 50s we've got left the name that struck me this morning seb because i morning is seb coe, because i used politics with him. used to be in politics with him. >> me about what seb coe is >> tell me about what seb coe is saying. >> well, we're talking

>> well, when we're talking about a lot about drugs about there's a lot about drugs and there's a lot about doping. and with paul and this is to do with paul pogba. there's also pogba. now there's also something enhanced something called the enhanced games which has been spoken about which about as well, which is basically let's basically the deal is, is let's have an olympic games where anybody whatever they anybody can take whatever they want then no, there's not want and then no, there's not going any drugs testing going to be any drugs testing and there's millions of pounds have athletes if have been offered to athletes if they can break existing world records, juiced up. records, is juiced up. >> it sounds to me as though seb is on the good here. good. >> absolutely. i don't think you're going get seb coe you're ever going to get seb coe saying that. i mean, we did hear from him, but i don't know if we've got clip of seb, coe we've got a clip of seb, seb coe or lord talking about this or lord coe talking about this yesterday eve the yesterday at the eve of the world athletics world indoor athletics championship. it championship. well it's isn't it really. mean, i can't really really. i mean, i can't really get excited about it . get excited about it. >> you know , there's only one >> you know, there's only one message and that is if anybody is moronic enough to feel that they want to take part in that and they are from the traditional philosophical end of our sport, they'll get banned and they'll get banned for a

long time . long time. >> let's not forget that he was one of the greatest athletes we have ever seen. multiple world record holder, completely clean and where his position is when it comes to athletics, i think he made that pretty obvious. >> plain speaking . >> plain speaking. >> plain speaking. >> yep, that's what we like. especially here on gb news. still to come, eurovision . well, still to come, eurovision. well, can you believe it's only a couple of months away now? olly alexander he is the uk entry this year. he has a song called dizzy and we're going to be talking about that and hearing about it .

next. welcome back and happy saint david's day. a strategically placed flag there. as you can see, you're watching and listening to breakfast with pip tomson and michael portillo. we're going through what is

making the news today . and so making the news today. and so many of the papers are full of tributes to dave meyers, one half of the hairy bikers, who's died at the age of 66. >> yeah, i mean, i only have the simplest thing to say, really. you know, i saw him as a broadcaster, a fellow broadcaster. i just was immensely admiring of him. such a nice man, such an affable presence on the television screen . and you know what screen. and you know what a marvellous connotation it was to have a programme that was both cooking and biking. it was a formidable combination . formidable combination. >> and his background was in makeup . i was >> and his background was in makeup. i was reading in prosthetics and he was brilliant at it . at it. >> lovely face. >> lovely face. >> absolutely, absolutely top, top man. our condolences to his widow , liliana, and of course, widow, liliana, and of course, his family. rest of his family and friends. we're joined this morning to go through the papers with gb news senior political correspondent nigel nelson and former conservative adviser claire pierce . well, claire, claire pierce. well, claire, what do you have for us first? >> oh , do we want to look at the

>> oh, do we want to look at the front page of the daily express? i think this do this is quite an interesting story. now, this is a whole piece by suella braverman, who was a former home secretary and is blasting the government for granting 1.4 million visas in the last year. now, when you sort of break down the detail, there are a lot of it's foreign workers that have come over to join the health and social care sector, foreign students and dependents . now students and dependents. now that will change. the dependents are no longer going to be allowed to join somebody on a dependent visa. so that number will go down. but but, but but many students stay as well. >> isn't that the isn't that the case. >> yes. no. yes i mean it's one of those funny aren't numbers that there has been such a breakdown in data because the students didn't come over during the pandemic and the, um , the the pandemic and the, um, the years where free movement was , years where free movement was, was curtailed due to the pandemic . you now have a lot of pandemic. you now have a lot of people coming at once. now,

whether they stay is a bit of a moot point. some of them will. some of them will go into sectors requiring of their skills. will go on to skills. some will go on to further education, taking master's phds , and a lot of them master's phds, and a lot of them will actually return home to their countries of origin. so it's difficult to say that all of them were saying you are looking at me in such a way that you don't believe a word. >> it's my sceptical face again. i mean, i think this issue is gradually gradually gradually and not so gradually killing the conservatives. i mean , it'd be one thing if the mean, it'd be one thing if the if a government said, if the if a government said, look, our policy have 1.4 look, our policy is to have 1.4 million immigrants a year and therefore we're going to make sure there are enough sure that there are enough houses streets schools houses and streets and schools and facilities for 1.4 million people. but what government people. but what the government actually ambition is actually says is our ambition is to know, tens of to have, you know, tens of thousands immigrants. thousands of immigrants. therefore, going build therefore, we're going to build no hospitals or no schools or hospitals or provision for these people provision for these new people at thatis provision for these new people at that is an untenable position. >> but of course it is good. i mean, that's the one thing we're going to agree on. it absolutely can't be allowed to happen. but i he needs to try and work

i think he needs to try and work out . when you have this out. when you have this conversation with people, who would not come here? would you not like to come here? do not want ukrainians to be do you not want ukrainians to be able to flee to safety because those be in there? those numbers will be in there? do you want those that have do you not want those that have helped afghanistan? i helped us in afghanistan? now, i know are some know that there are some concerns that abuse of that. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> what about those fleeing the regime in hong kong who are british nationals overseas? do you allow to anyone, anyone you not allow to anyone, anyone on left simply says, okay, on the left simply says, okay, build the houses, build the schools. but they didn't manage to do that. when the left were also in power, didn't have also in power, they didn't have also in power, they didn't have a record on house building a great record on house building or infrastructure, either. so i think that governments fail on house building, health and social care sector, particularly i >> nigel, emma >> nigel, we need migration. well, i mean, one of the managed properly . absolutely. it is a properly. absolutely. it is a good thing. >> is it the whole thing is that suella braverman is calling for a cap. there shouldn't be a figures game. it should be about what the economy needs. so within those figures, you've got 106,000 people all came over on

the care sector . um, they 106,000 people all came over on the care sector. um, they had 150,000 vacancies. so on the bafis 150,000 vacancies. so on the basis of that, we should be pleased. we've got somebody to fill the care sector. and at the moment, the only problem is going to be is what happens down the road. so, as claire has pointed out, we're we're getting rid of depending it's coming that put people off. we are that will put people off. we are um , bosses will no longer be um, bosses will no longer be able to pay just 80% of full wages to a foreign worker. they'll have to pay 100. the good side of that is it might encourage british workers to do those jobs. >> but isn't it fascinating that we are importing, >> but isn't it fascinating that we are importing , for example, we are importing, for example, doctors who have been educated abroad whilst the doctors that we educated in this country were busy to places like busy exporting to places like australia because their terms and conditions are much better elsewhere. >> yes. and that does not seem rational to me . no. um, and rational to me. no. um, and perhaps if the government sat down with the junior doctors while striking at the while they're striking at the moment and got a deal with them, fewer would end going to fewer would end up going to australia and new zealand or wherever else they can be paid

more we take him on to more should we take him on to another subject? >> uh, are we going to have any tax cuts? >> uh, look, so that's next week i >> -- >> that's 5mm >> that's next week, next wednesday, next wednesday . um, wednesday, next wednesday. um, according i, there's some according to the i, there's some trouble ahead for jeremy according to the i, there's some trouble ahead forjeremy hunt that they're saying that his £0.02 tax cut. we're not quite sure whether that would fall. uh, national insurance is a possibility. a second cut in that at number 10 wants it to go on income tax because that was rishi sunak's promise during the leadership campaign. what the office for budget responsibility are saying, according to the eye, is that both of them are in trouble, that, um , an income tax trouble, that, um, an income tax cut would be inflationary. um the chancellor doesn't have the headroom he thought he had. he thought he had 30 billion to play thought he had 30 billion to play with. it's going to be less than half that now. um, from a personal my personal view is this is not the time for tax cuts. just because an election is on the horizon, it would be great if we actually sorted pubuc great if we actually sorted public services. if there's any

any money left over, not go around cutting taxes irresponsibly , you know , we've irresponsibly, you know, we've been talking about olly alexander all morning. >> oh, yes, i have. >> i've been speaking as i were knowledgeable on the subject of the eurovision song contest. >> well, when i last watched it, about years ago, i enjoyed that. >> when lulu was that when lulu represented us, i think it was . represented us, i think it was. >> but anyway, to my point , do >> but anyway, to my point, do we, do we have an update on olly alexander? >> so olly alexander is representing the uk this year. he has a song called dizzy and this is it won't you make me dizzy form kiss . dizzy form kiss. >> will you take my hand and steady , round and round . until steady, round and round. until the moment never ends. um. may he did he fall ? kisses. will you he did he fall? kisses. will you take my hand and spin? take me back to the big inning again.

>> now i'll make you move. >> now i'll make you move. >> well, first of all, i have a lot of time for alexander because i saw him in it's a sin, in which i thought he was sensational. >> he was. he's also a very serious musician with a very good pedigree. so it seems to me that this year we are fielding one of our best. i must say , one of our best. i must say, that song didn't do it for me . i that song didn't do it for me. i don't feel that that's going to be a winner, i don't know. be a winner, but i don't know. >> got little bit of a >> it's got a little bit of a hook.the >> it's got a little bit of a hook. the problem is, is what? what is very popular with with the public is it's not the the uk public is it's not the same thing, claire, as what's popular judges last popular with the judges and last year do very well. year we didn't do very well. >> didn't. i think that >> we didn't. but i think that this got a much better this one's got a much better chance. this one's got a much better chance . a little bit sort chance. it is a little bit sort of that eurotrash 80s disco vibe that thrives upon. that eurovision thrives upon. it's quite catchy . i think it's it's quite catchy. i think it's great, actually . and i love great, actually. and i love eurovision. it brings everybody together and i know that you're looking at me in the slightest manner. yeah, even nigel watched

it. >> anything that has the prefix euro brings people together, you know , astonishing to me. know, astonishing to me. >> if you're invited, michael , >> if you're invited, michael, to a eurovision party, which plenty people you plenty of people have, would you politely decline ? politely decline? >> no, no, no. a eurovision party. i'd go for that. no, no, sure. >> but no, i got nigel to watch it. >> bring them on, bring them up. >> bring them on, bring them up. >> we should watch it this year. yeah yeah. >> um, so. so you think we have a chance for that? and you a chance for that? and do you share admiration for the s|nger? singer? >> i mean, he's is fantastic. >> i mean, he's he is fantastic. >> i mean, he's he is fantastic. >> and you're right. him when his was in it's a his acting was superb in it's a sin. i mean, i think that was one the most groundbreaking one of the most groundbreaking programmes i've seen. i think he's great. think he should do he's great. i think he should do well bearing in mind it's eurovision and we're well eurovision and we're not well liked. it's a really liked. i think it's a really good andi liked. i think it's a really good and i think that he's good song and i think that he's got the attitude to take this forward and he already forward and he is already a well—known hasn't well—known name, which hasn't always the case. always been been the case. >> whether that will rider >> whether that will be rider should have with star with should have won with star with starman 22. should have won with star with sta yeah. 22. should have won with star with sta yeah. if 22. should have won with star with sta yeah. if it 22. should have won with star with sta yeah. if it hadn't been for >> yeah. if it hadn't been for the ukraine war, he would have done well. >> can who wins >> you never can tell who wins that. what can we tell about that. uh, what can we tell about the weather today? it is saint

david's day. is the sun gonna shine? the weather forecast shine? is the weather forecast with annie shuttleworth? >> looks like things are heating up. boxt boilers as sponsors of weather on . gb news. weather on. gb news. >> hello. good morning and welcome to your latest gb news weather update with me, annie from the met office. some heavy rain will push into southwestern areas through the rest of the day. there's risk of some day. there's also a risk of some sleet and snow over the hills , sleet and snow over the hills, but heaviest rain will but the heaviest rain will push from south—west, affecting from the south—west, affecting southwestern from the south—west, affecting sout parts ern from the south—west, affecting soutparts of] from the south—west, affecting soutparts of south wales. that's and parts of south wales. that's where weather warning where there's a weather warning in throughout this where there's a weather warning in of throughout this where there's a weather warning in of rain jghout this where there's a weather warning in of rain will ut this where there's a weather warning in of rain will push this where there's a weather warning in of rain will push into :his where there's a weather warning in of rain will push into more band of rain will push into more northern areas of england that will as snow over the high will fall as snow over the high ground above around 250m, mainly so lower levels will mainly just see rain. but we also see some quite showers following quite blustery showers following in behind that across many southern and central areas. and it's to be feeling rather it's going to be feeling rather chilly out there today, particularly any coastal particularly on any coastal areas. in any showers where areas. and in any showers where we've got quite a strong wind through going to through tonight. it's going to be staying quite unsettled. many

areas rain. areas will see further rain. that band will push into more northern areas into parts of scotland where we could bring a further risk of some sleet and snow, potentially some ice on the roads. going to be the roads. it's going to be a frosty where we do any frosty start where we do see any clear skies developing to saturday much much saturday morning, but much much of rain will be restricted of the rain will be restricted to eastern areas throughout the morning saturday, morning on saturday, particularly across northeastern areas of england. that's where we see some further snow we could see some further snow falling the ground. falling over the high ground. further south. it should be a little bit drier through the morning, but there will some morning, but there will be some showers pushing across showers pushing in across coastal the afternoon. coastal areas by the afternoon. these some hail these bring a risk of some hail and downpours , and it and some heavy downpours, and it will feel chilly once will still feel chilly once again on saturday. it does look again on saturday. it does look a little bit drier and brighter and brighter on sunday though. by and brighter on sunday though. by that feeling inside by by that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on .

a very good morning to you. it is 9:00 on friday. the 1st of march, and today this is for gaza. march, and today this is for gaza . george galloway has swept gaza. george galloway has swept to victory at the rochdale by—election after one of the most divisive campaigns in years . that's right. >> george galloway is back in parliament after a nine year break as mp for rochdale. and he says sir keir starmer will pay a high price for his stance on gaza to remove a climate change denier . denier. >> you said in the hustings that you wanted to extract oil and gas from the north sea. >> george galloway won by nearly 6000 more votes than any other candidate , but faced backlash candidate, but faced backlash within seconds of his victory . within seconds of his victory. and here's the stark message he

had for the labour leader. >> i think keir starmer has woken up this morning to his worst nightmare and that was as nigel farage warned about sectarian politics in britain. >> is it ? sectarian politics is >> is it? sectarian politics is here to stay. people thought the result in 2012, in bradford west , was a complete one off. it wasn't. it was a warning shot. this is voting along religious lines allied to some extreme hard left characters like the chris williamson's no. this is real. >> also, this morning, real. >> also, this morning , the >> also, this morning, the government's flagship rwanda policy could end up costing more than £600 million to deport 300 refugees. that's according to a spending watchdog . spending watchdog. >> well, another day , another >> well, another day, another uncomfortable headline on the state of the migrant crisis in the uk and now we have a much better understanding of just how costly this rwanda policy will

be. beautiful gardens , eternal be. beautiful gardens, eternal flower flowers . flower flowers. >> you know, the way they. so take me there . they won't . you take me there. they won't. you make me dizzy. >> olly alexander releases his eurovision 2024 entry dizzy . and eurovision 2024 entry dizzy. and a very happy saint david's day to everyone celebrating in wales and beyond . and beyond. >> good morning . >> good morning. >> good morning. >> it's a cold day out there for many areas and there's some snow due for some. find out all the details with me a little later on. >> good morning, i'm pip tomson >> good morning, i'm pip tomson >> good morning again i'm michael portillo and this is breakfast on gb news. news. >> great to have you with us this morning on saint david's day. we have the flag . we're

day. we have the flag. we're just missing the daffodils. michael, aren't we? >> yes. i should have put one in my lapel. shouldn't i really? yeah. >> but, um, we gained so many thoughts from you this morning about what has been happening overnight with the by—election. and birthday and also lots of birthday messages for our very own stephen dixon , who we're going stephen dixon, who we're going to be talking to you very shortly because he's 50 years old today . and on the subject of old today. and on the subject of birthdays , michael, we do need birthdays, michael, we do need to birthday to susan . to say happy birthday to susan. uh, who is 60. and she says, i will be sitting waiting for my family to watch gb news. i spend every morning with you guys. i'm always emailing to get involved, and because of my disability, i'm almost housebound. and, um, so seeing anyone for this so not seeing anyone for this special day, i do feel it's going to pass me by by. so a shout out would make it feel super special for me. >> well, indeed, we must do that. we must give a big shout out to susan, and i hope that you feel that if you share at least this little part of your birthday with pip and me and with our viewers , that that

with all our viewers, that that makes up for not having a party with people present. you're part of big national party. of a big national party. >> yeah . happy birthday to you, >> yeah. happy birthday to you, susan. so, george galloway of the workers party of britain has won one of the most divisive and controversial by—election contests in recent history . contests in recent history. >> turn out at the by—election may not sound huge at 39.7, but that was higher than expected. he had this message for the labour leader, sir keir starmer. >> keir starmer this is for gaza . you have paid and you will pay a high price for the role that you have played in enabling, encouraging and covering . for encouraging and covering. for the catastrophe presently going on in occupied palestine , in the on in occupied palestine, in the gaza strip . so that was george

gaza strip. so that was george galloway. >> well, joining us now is our political editor, christopher hope, who has been up all night following this by—election good morning christopher. i promise you can you can get some sleep very soon. just just talk to us first though. the george galloway and his team , they are galloway and his team, they are understandably cockahoop this morning saying that the victory in rochdale will send shockwaves through the corridors of power. are they right ? the labour party? >> well , they certainly hope so. >> well, they certainly hope so. >> well, they certainly hope so. >> morning, morning, michael. they certainly hope so. i mean, the labour party is apologising for this. it wasn't a by—election they wanted to see take place. they of course they're they disowned their own candidate azhar ali didn't they. after those remarks emerged that he had said about israel after the ballot papers had been printed. so to see this win by george galloway , i mean a 6000 george galloway, i mean a 6000 majority over the nearest candidate who was an independent candidate. of course , george

candidate. of course, george galloway said, this is for gaza, not this is for not this is for rochdale. so he sees it as a as an international victory for people who are concerned here about fighting in gaza, about the fighting in gaza, but deeply embarrassing for the labour for the labour party, but also for the tory came in third, tory party that came in third, ahead of the notional labour candidate. but i think interesting that george galloway said that keir starmer and rishi sunak are two cheeks of the same backside. they've got voluntarily spanked tonight here in we wait to see how in rochdale, we wait to see how george galloway will take this on back in on and now he's back in parliament. when he appears on monday, he'll be pushing his agenda in parliament. it agenda on gaza in parliament. it could be a bumpy ride for the labour in the next few labour party in the next few months in order to put right it. >> thank you very much, christopher. joining us now is labour mp ellie reeves. welcome to gb news. thank you for joining us. um, ellie reeves is it now time for the labour party to change its position on the question of a ceasefire in gaza ? question of a ceasefire in gaza? well look, i think the first thing to say is that we didn't

field a candidate in this by—election in relation to what we have said about gaza. >> we've called for an immediate humanitarian open ceasefire. we've said that there should be no ground offensive in rafah. you know, the loss of life in gaza has been intolerable. and the images that are coming out of gaza have been devastating. we need to ramp up aid to gaza. but also we need to make sure that we get a two state solution and palestinian statehood, you know , that's been something know, that's been something that's been talked about by politicians. but, you know , we politicians. but, you know, we need to also now make that a reality. and that would be a priority of a labour government . priority of a labour government. >> um, ellie reeves, do you think that your labour colleagues , i'm thinking maybe colleagues, i'm thinking maybe of those are going to be fighting seats in scotland where they're in danger of being outflanked snp ? do you outflanked by the snp? do you think they're going to be happy that effectively just that you have effectively just sort rehashed present sort of rehashed the present position of the labour party? do you not think those people might

be thinking that this by—election a message ? by—election sent you a message? >> well, we didn't stand a candidate in the by—election and that's regrettable . but keir that's regrettable. but keir starmer took swift action when those comments of azhar ali came to light and he was suspended from labour. so we went into this by—election without a candidate, you know, when you look at previous by elections, just two weeks ago, we had victories in wellingborough and in kingswood, in wellingborough we had a swing to labour of 28.5, but you know, we're not complacent about anything. we don't take any votes for granted . we didn't fight this by—election in rochdale, but where we have fought in by elections, we've fought for every vote and we will fight for every vote and we will fight for every the general every vote in the general election. us, the next step election. for us, the next step will be selecting a candidate in rochdale for general rochdale for the general election , who can start to election, who can start to rebuild trust within the community. >> george galloway says says that he is keir starmer's worst nightmare and he's now scored a hat trick of election victories

over labour. he is a unique figure . he might have a point as figure. he might have a point as to the ramifications of this win here in rochdale , but this was a here in rochdale, but this was a unique by—election in that labour didn't have a candidate . labour didn't have a candidate. >> if we'd have had a candidate, i believe that labour could have won in rochdale , so i'm not sure won in rochdale, so i'm not sure at how much it says about the wider picture, but we will fight for every vote in the in the general election and we'll build trust with voters. you know, when it comes to the general election, people will be asking themselves whether they feel better off after 14 years of conservative government. and the answer to that is going to be no. but we're not complacent about anything. we'll work to rebuild trust in communities and, and fight for every vote . and, and fight for every vote. >> quite a lot of people were saying last week that in rochdale, many voters didn't even know about the row they'd been over. the labour candidate.

so they didn't, you know, they didn't follow the national news in the that we do. and when in the way that we do. and when they went into the ballot yesterday, name and yesterday, there was a name and after labour party after it it said labour party candidate. and i'm just wondering you can be so wondering if you can be so confident had fielded confident that had you fielded a candidate, the result would have been different. i mean, it been very different. i mean, it looks me, the face of it, looks to me, on the face of it, as you were well and as though you were well and truly trounced and might well have been, even if you had endorsed candidate. have been, even if you had encwell, candidate. have been, even if you had encwell, the candidate. have been, even if you had encwell, the fact1didate. have been, even if you had encwell, the fact that te. have been, even if you had encwell, the fact that the >> well, the fact that the former labour candidate was suspended was pretty well known, and people in rochdale would have been aware of the situation. and i want to apologise to voters in rochdale for what happened and the fact that we weren't able to give them a choice of a labour candidate at this by—election. but, you know, we weren't campaigning in the election. we didn't have a candidate . and i didn't have a candidate. and i think the result obviously reflects that , something george reflects that, something george galloway said , said ellie, was galloway said, said ellie, was that labour and the conservatives are two cheeks of

the same backside side. >> now, if he's going around parading that message from here on in, that's that's going to resonate with quite a lot of people, quite a lot of muslim voters. i would say right across the country and he's got a lot of candidates that he says he's going to field . going to field. >> well, you know, i don't i don't agree with that characterisation by george galloway. and he is someone who stirs up divisions and hatred . stirs up divisions and hatred. but, you know, not just on gaza where we've set out our position really clearly, but we've also set out our position on a whole range of issues. after 14 years of conservative government, people are paying more in their mortgage bills. we've got richie's recession. people are worse off under this government. we are a changed labour party with a clear plan for the future , and that's what we'll be setting out in this year, this

general election year. >> well , uh, general election year. >> well, uh, yes. so nothing to see here is really your line. i wonder whether it occurs to you, though, ellie reeves, that one of the reasons he's got elected is that he's saying something and that many people are protest voting, that mainstream politicians have nothing to say . politicians have nothing to say. uh, does it strike you that time has come for people to take positions , joins people who take positions, joins people who take positions, joins people who take positions may score results like george galloway ? george galloway? >> well, we've set out our position that we want an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in gaza and no ground offensive in gaza and no ground offensive in rafah, as well as aid being ramped up. but we've also set out our position in relation to a whole range of things for example, free breakfast clubs in every primary school, 2 million more nhs procedures and appointments to bring nhs waiting lists down in a new clean green gb energy bringing down energy costs for households. you know these are

clear dividing lines between a changed labour party and a conservative party who crashed the economy, leaving working people worse off. >> so you set out your position, but you've also rowed back on your position . for example, when your position. for example, when it comes to green policies, is it comes to green policies, is it not the case now that that keir starmer is just sort of thinking, right, i'm going to be as quiet as possible about everything and that's how i'm going to win the election. the less i say now, the better . less i say now, the better. >> no, i don't think so. i've just talked about some of the policies that we have set out, but in relation to our green prosperity plan, we've also said that everything has to be subject to our fiscal rules , and subject to our fiscal rules, and we're being honest about if we are privileged enough to form a government, the mess that we would take over from this low growth, high tax, conservative government but, you know, we've got policies like our national wealth fund investing in the industries of the future, crowding in private investment into things like electric

vehicle manufacturing , carbon vehicle manufacturing, carbon capture and storage . this is how capture and storage. this is how we grow the economy . we've also we grow the economy. we've also got our new deal for working people, which angela rayner will be talking about later today. banning fire and rehire ending zero hours contracts, getting a fair deal for working people up and down the country. and these are the issues that voters want to hear us talking about. >> ellie ellie reeves, labour mp thank you very much for joining us on gb news news. the cost of rishi sunak's troubled rwanda asylum scheme could soar to half £1 billion. >> however, the home office has so far refused to say how much more money on top of the 290 million already confirmed . million already confirmed. >> but a national audit office report revealed that millions more in spending, including £11,000 for each migrant plane ticket home and security editor mark white joins us now. >> hello to you, mark. this

makes hotels very cheap, doesn't it ? it? >> well , well, it does it? >> well, well, it does and it doesn't . i >> well, well, it does and it doesn't. i think we >> well, well, it does and it doesn't . i think we need to >> well, well, it does and it doesn't. i think we need to just take a look at the bigger picture in terms of what the government is trying to do here. this is all about a deterrent at the end of the day, we always knew that there was going to be significant upfront costs because this is a partnership with rwanda, which as part of that partnership, there is economic development in rwanda . economic development in rwanda. the government has told us about 290 million. so far. they are on just enough to say that, of course , there would be many course, there would be many millions more over the coming years, but never put a price on that. the audit office very kindly have put their estimate on that, and they have suggested covid at least half £1 billion. um, but when you look at some of the people that have been sort of calculating and extrapolating from those figures and putting it at with regards to 300, uh,

asylum seekers at 2 million or so per asylum seeker is slightly disingenuous , uh, because the disingenuous, uh, because the partnership is , uh, you know, partnership is, uh, you know, different for the actual cost of the migrants that are going to rwanda and being housed . that's rwanda and being housed. that's at about 170,000 a year. still very costly. but if you look at what the cost of keeping them in accommodation here in the uk is , accommodation here in the uk is, um, and all of the surrounding wrap around services, it's not much different to the 170,000 that the rwandan government is getting for this scheme, and the home office would simply point out as well, that there is a cost to doing nothing here. and if they allow the migration crisis to continue in the way it's doing, are estimating it's doing, they are estimating that there will be an annual cost just in accommodation alone for asylum seekers in this country of £16 billion a year.

>> marvellous mike. mark white giving us there all the points of view . um, after a short of view. um, after a short break, we're going to be joined by a very special guest, someone you all know very well. stephen dixon, this is breakfast on gb news with pip and michael .

>> welcome back . good morning. >> welcome back. good morning. you are watching and listening to breakfast with pip tomson and michael portillo. >> now the man who usually sits in this chair is celebrating a rather special birthday . uh, rather special birthday. uh, stephen dixon joins us now . uh, stephen dixon joins us now. uh, so, stephen happy birthday to you. will you reveal which birthday you're celebrating and will you tell us how you feel about that birthday? >> well, obviously, i'm 30 today, michael . um, no, it's the today, michael. um, no, it's the big five zero today. um, no ,

big five zero today. um, no, it's the good, isn't it? i mean, i always say people worry about getting older. i don't mind it, because if you're not older, then haven't got this far. because if you're not older, theevery haven't got this far. because if you're not older, theevery day en't got this far. because if you're not older, theevery day is't got this far. because if you're not older, theevery day is a got this far. because if you're not older, theevery day is a blessing.1r. so every day is a blessing. that's all. good >> happy, happy birthday. stephen. what is in that mug? be honest . honest. >> oh, no. this is this is earl grey tea. there you go . grey tea. there you go. >> well, listen , i'm a i'm a >> well, listen, i'm a i'm a northerner and i'm up north, so it's got to be tea first thing in the morning. >> oh, i think i was about your age when i began my broadcasting career. so there's plenty. there's plenty ahead of you. how many years, stephen, now, have you been in broadcasting this is. >> this is like. this is your life. yeah >> it is. i've been doing it 32 years. i started when i was 18, um, at radio trent in nottingham , um, doing bits and bobs, and i've been in it ever since. so it's weird, isn't it? 32 years broadcasting , i think broadcasting, i think technically makes me a veteran . technically makes me a veteran. um, if i go in, if i go, if i go another 32 years, i'm doing it

at 82. i'll have something to be worried about. >> well, you're having a very, very well deserved long weekend to off celebrate. but of course , to off celebrate. but of course, uh, you're much loved colleagues here. i wanted to wish you many happy returns and just listen to this . this. >> i just want to wish you a very, very, very lovely day . i very, very, very lovely day. i can't believe you're 50. and the only thing i really want to say, and this most important thing from a sporting man to another sporting man . from a sporting man to another sporting man. i very much from a sporting man to another sporting man . i very much hope sporting man. i very much hope for your 50th birthday as anne diamond said that you get pulled off at half time. >> happy birthday stephen. it's been great working you. been great working with you. >> return stephen, i hope >> happy return stephen, i hope you have a fantastic day. celebrate oh, we celebrate being the big oh, we won't mention one is. won't mention which one that is. >> happy birthday stephen, stephen, stephen. who are stephen, stephen. who are stephen dixon? oh, it's his birthday. oh it's lovely. how . old >> hello there, mr dixon . i very >> hello there, mr dixon. i very much miss bossing you around on the headset over the last few

days. birthday? so i wanted to wish you a happy 50th birthday. wow. >> stephen, i can promise you that was one take. only what i'm to here do is to wish you the warmest of 50th birthdays. >> hi, stephen. happy birthday. happy 50th birthday. can't believe you're 50. look, about 30. i love working with you so, so much. you are my best friend at gb news and thank you for always making me laugh and giving me the best advice not just about work, but life and how to save money, which i'm not particularly at and also particularly good at and also helping business helping me with my business plans. the bestest plans. you are the bestest friend. you are the most generous and i love generous co—host and i love coming work you so very, coming to work with you so very, very special. happy birthday to a very special person and thank you being the best. i love you for being the best. i love you for being the best. i love you lots and lots and lots. mwah thatis you lots and lots and lots. mwah that is really rather moving . that is really rather moving. >> is there a tear in your eye there? stephen >> ah, it's lovely . it's, you >> ah, it's lovely. it's, you know, it's really nice and it's nice to see on screen all those

people who don't normally make it on screen, like cooper and henry and robin and natalie, of course, who i know he's chattering in your ear right now. so that's really, really lovely. okay, stephen, thank you so much forjoining us. >> enjoy the rest of your birthday . may >> enjoy the rest of your birthday. may i say what a pleasure it's been to do this morning? show how much i've enjoyed feeling. thank enjoyed it. the feeling. thank you. for looking you. thank you pip, for looking after you and i are both after me. we you and i are both back tomorrow. doing it . i look back tomorrow. doing it. i look forward to it very much. and you can by tomorrow whether can see by tomorrow whether there's improvement the there's any improvement in the performance by tomorrow. >> see you tomorrow . >> see you tomorrow. >> see you tomorrow. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hello. good morning and welcome to your latest gb news weather update with me, annie from the met office. some heavy rain will push into southwestern areas through the rest of the day. risk of some day. there's also a risk of some sleet and snow over hills , sleet and snow over the hills, but the heaviest rain push but the heaviest rain will push from southwest, affecting from the southwest, affecting southwestern

from the southwest, affecting sout parts ern from the southwest, affecting soutparts of] from the southwest, affecting soutparts of south that's and parts of south wales. that's where weather warning where there's a weather warning in throughout today, but in force throughout today, but this rain push into this band of rain will push into more northern areas of england that snow over the that will fall as snow over the high ground above around 250m, mainly so lower levels will mainly so lower levels will mainly just see rain. but we also see some blustery also see some quite blustery showers following in behind that. across many southern and central areas. and it's going to be feeling rather chilly out there today, particularly on any coastal any coastal areas. and in any showers where got quite showers where we've got quite a strong through tonight. strong wind through tonight. it's going staying quite it's going to be staying quite unsettled. areas will see unsettled. many areas will see further that band will push further rain that band will push into more northern areas , into into more northern areas, into parts scotland where could parts of scotland where we could bnng parts of scotland where we could bring a further risk of some sleet snow, potentially some sleet and snow, potentially some ice roads. it's going to ice on the roads. it's going to be frosty start we do be a frosty start where we do see clear skies developing see any clear skies developing to saturday morning , but much of to saturday morning, but much of the rain will restricted to the rain will be restricted to eastern throughout the eastern areas throughout the morning on saturday, particularly northeastern particularly across northeastern areas of england. that's where we see some snow we could see some further snow falling over the high ground further south. it should be a little bit drier through the morning, but there will be some

showers pushing in across coastal areas the afternoon. coastal areas by the afternoon. these risk some hail these bring a risk of some hail and some heavy downpours it and some heavy downpours and it will chilly once will still feel chilly once again on saturday. does look again on saturday. it does look again on saturday. it does look a bit drier and brighter a little bit drier and brighter and on sunday though. and brighter on sunday though. bye looks like things are bye bye looks like things are heating up . heating up. >> boxt boilers sponsor of weather on . gb news. weather on. gb news. >> very good morning, it's me and mark dolan and today on a friday morning a lot happening this morning mark. particularly the by—election from last night in well definitely. in rochdale. well definitely. >> the implications >> what are the implications for what is an incoming what many think is an incoming labour government? is this the shape things to come? shape of things to come? division for starmer? division for keir starmer? >> also doping >> that's right. and also doping in sport . what are we going to in sport. what are we going to have doping games. in sport. what are we going to haers. doping games. in sport. what are we going to haers. can1g games. in sport. what are we going to haers. can i] games. in sport. what are we going to haers. can i stresses. in sport. what are we going to haers. can i stress we're both >> yes. can i stress we're both clean this morning. plus rwanda could cost half a billion. is it worth the money in a minute

>> well . very good morning. it's

>> well. very good morning. it's 930 on friday. the 1st of march. this is britain's newsroom on gb news with me, bev turner and mark dolan this morning. >> indeed. now galloway takes rochdale . this is for gaza, says rochdale. this is for gaza, says george galloway . george galloway. >> in enabling keir starmer this is for gaza . is for gaza. >> i shall by elections in history. what does this mean for labourin history. what does this mean for labour in power ? and also what labour in power? and also what doesit labour in power? and also what does it tell us about british politics in an election year and political fallout? >> we're going to be bringing you the latest from across westminster and beyond as britain awakes to this shock result. galloway's victory is already causing reaction from all parties, with nigel farage warning about sectarian politics in the uk . in the uk. >> is it sectarian politics is here to stay. people thought the result in 2012. in bradford west, was a complete one off. it wasn't. it was a warning shot. this is voting along religious

lines. allied to some extreme